[Ppnews] International Day for Political Prisoners

Political Prisoner News PPnews at freedomarchives.org
Wed Nov 9 12:10:42 EST 2005



Media Advisory

9 November 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jess Ghannam, 
415-726-3951 

Kali Akuno, 510-593-3956

intdaysolpp at yahoo.com


DECEMBER 3, 2005
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS
EVENTS HELD IN 25 CITIES WORLDWIDE!!

KATHLEEN CLEAVER - FORMER BLACK PANTHER LEADER
ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, FORMER PUERTO RICAN POLITICAL PRISONER
  SPEAKING OUT ABOUT U.S. AUTHORIZED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE!

Where: First Unitarian Church – 14th and Castro, Oakland, CA
When:  December 3, 2005:  7PM

Oakland, CA 7 November 2005 - Former Black Panther leader and Yale Law 
School Professor KATHLEEN CLEAVER 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.

Puerto Rican Independentista ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, 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.”

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.

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.”

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.

The event will be preceded by a film festival, Political 
Convictions:  Liberating Political Prisoners with showings from Monday, 
November 28 through Thursday, December 1st at New College, San Francisco 
and Laney College, Oakland.

There will be a demonstration on December 2nd, 12 noon at the Oakland 
Federal Building, (1301 Clay St.) demanding freedom for all political 
prisoners.


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