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<font size=3><b><br><br>
</font><font size=2>intdaysolpp@yahoo.com <br>
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<div align="center">DECEMBER 3, 2005<br>
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS <br>
EVENTS HELD IN 25 CITIES WORLDWIDE!!<br>
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<br>
<div align="center">KATHLEEN CLEAVER - FORMER BLACK PANTHER LEADER<br>
ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, FORMER PUERTO RICAN POLITICAL PRISONER<br>
SPEAKING OUT ABOUT U.S. AUTHORIZED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE!<br>
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<b>Where: First Unitarian Church – 14th and Castro, Oakland, CA<br>
When: December 3, 2005: 7PM<br>
</b> <br>
Oakland, CA 7 November 2005 - Former Black Panther leader and Yale Law
School Professor <b>KATHLEEN CLEAVER</b> will headline the first annual
International Day in Solidarity with Political Prisoners. “It's essential
to work for the freedom of those still imprisoned because of their
contributions to the human rights struggle within the U.S., particularly
in these days of intensified government surveillance of and restrictions
against dissent....” Ms Cleaver explained.<br>
<br>
Puerto Rican Independentista <b>ALICIA RODRIGUEZ,</b> who was pardoned by
President Clinton after 19 years in prison, will join Ms. Cleaver. “The
U.S. government just assassinated our freedom fighter Filiberto Ojeda
Rios because they want us to believe that resistance is futile. Nothing
could be further from the truth. We know from our experience that we must
continue our fight to get all of our prisoners out –they must know that
they are not alone.”<br>
<br>
There are over one hundred political prisoners incarcerated in the U.S.
and tens of thousands imprisoned around the world. Under the pretext of
the Patriot Act and the “War on Terror”, the U.S. government is
imprisoning more people every day. The force-feeding of hunger
strikers in Guantanamo, the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and the
use of secret prisons in Europe are only a few of the grave human rights
abuses taking place around the world under the authority of the U.S.
government.<br>
<br>
In response to escalating human rights violations, activists from around
the world have decided to initiate a Day in Solidarity with Political
Prisoners Worldwide. Donato Continente, a recently released
political prisoner from the Philippines explained: “It’s time we
took a united and international approach to the freeing of political
activists and freedom fighters – it’s essential that we share our
experiences and that we mount international campaigns.”<br>
<br>
The event in Oakland will also feature representatives from Haiti,
Palestine, the Philippines and the Cuban 5. There will be
simultaneous activities in 25 countries including the Philippines,
Turkey, Mexico, Croatia, Canada, Spain and cities around the United
States.<br>
<br>
The event will be preceded by a film festival, <i>Political
Convictions: Liberating Political Prisoners</i> with showings from
Monday, November 28 through Thursday, December 1st at New College, San
Francisco and Laney College, Oakland.<br>
<br>
There will be a demonstration on December 2<sup>nd</sup>, 12 noon at the
Oakland Federal Building, (1301 Clay St.) demanding freedom for all
political prisoners.<br>
<br>
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