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<font size=4><b>Right the Wrong:<br><br>
An Update on the Humanitarian Campaign for Oscar López Rivera’s
Release<br><br>
</b></font><font size=3>People of conscience throughout the world were
outraged by news that the U.S. Parole Commission refused to parole Puerto
Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera after close to 30 years in
prison for his support of Puerto Rican independence. Thousands of people,
including members of U.S. Congress, religious leaders, artists, scholars,
and community members support his immediate release.<br><br>
The Parole Commission’s inhumane decision, issued on February 18, ignored
both the specifics of Oscar’s case and the broad-based international
humanitarian support for his immediate release. The Commission, basing
its unjust decision on falsehoods and inaccuracies, ruled that Oscar must
remain in prison another 15 years or until the duration of his sentence,
whichever comes first.<br><br>
Though this represents a significant setback, the National Boricua Human
Rights Network (NBHRN) has no doubt the campaign for Oscar’s freedom will
be victorious. The Puerto Rican people and their allies have succeeded in
winning the release of three generations of political prisoners, an
unparalleled accomplishment. This campaign will be no different.<br><br>
After consulting with Oscar and the campaign for his release, his
attorney will ask the Parole Commission to reconsider its wrongheaded
ruling. Activists and leaders from the U.S., Puerto Rico and abroad have
started to aggressively plan and launch the next phase of the
campaign.<br><br>
NBHRN urges supporters to once again express their support for Oscar’s
freedom. There are many ways to contribute to this campaign:<br><br>
· Sign and circulate the new letter of
support for Oscar’s release as part of the parole appeal process;
(below)<br><br>
· Call the U.S. Parole Commission to ask
them to order his immediate release; (below)<br><br>
· Organize discussions and events in your
home, community, and university;<br><br>
· Donate to the campaign (every cent helps
the message travel further)’<br><br>
· Attend events, petition drives, and other
NBHRN organizing activities;<br><br>
· Join your local NBHRN chapter or help
start one in your city;<br><br>
· Write Oscar and share your support for
him and his release. <br><br>
Thanks to small and large contributions, we hope Oscar will soon rejoin
his family, community and nation. Freedom and justice can only be
momentarily – but never permanently – deferred.<br><br>
For more information, contact Alejandro Luis Molina,
<a href="mailto:alejandrom@boricuahumanrights.org">
alejandrom@boricuahumanrights.org</a><br><br>
*************************************************<br><br>
Isaac Fulwood, Jr., Chair via facsimile
301/492-5543<br><br>
United States Parole
Commission
<br>
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 420<br>
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815<br><br>
Re: Oscar López Rivera, 87651-024, FCI Terre Haute<br><br>
Dear Chairman Fulwood, and Commissioners Mitchell, Cushwa and Wilson
Smoot:<br><br>
We write to ask you to reconsider your decision to deny parole to Oscar
López Rivera, who is serving a 70 year sentence for his commitment to the
independence of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Parole Commission has likely never
had a case similar to his, with such overwhelming evidence to warrant
granting immediate parole. <br><br>
In what other case has an entire nation, in one united voice, supported
parole, as Puerto Rico did here? <br><br>
In what other case has a president of the United States already declared
that the sentence was disproportionate, and that he should have been
released by September of 2009? <br><br>
In what other case have 11 co-defendants accumulated eleven years of
exemplary conduct after their release? <br><br>
In what other case has the very same Parole Commission granted early
termination of conditions to those co-defendants? <br><br>
In what other case has the very same Parole Commission granted parole to
the only other remaining co-defendant, only six months before the hearing
in this case, after he served 30 years in prison? <br><br>
In what other case has the Commission received tens of thousands of
letters of support, including from so many elected officials, clergy and
religious organizations, legal and human rights groups, and people who
seek justice? <br><br>
In what other case has the Commission had such conclusive proof meeting
the criteria for release? <br><br>
Yet, you ruled that because of several factors, his “release on
parole would promote disrespect for the law,” apparently ceding to forces
opposed to his parole, who insist that he is responsible for a 1975 New
York City bombing for which he was neither accused nor convicted, and in
which he did not participate. <br><br>
We ask you to reconsider what promotes disrespect for the law. The effect
of your ruling is that this 68 year old decorated Vietnam veteran, with a
distinguished record of service to his community, will be required to
serve 45 years behind bars, when he was not convicted of harming anyone
or taking a life in other words, cruel and unusual punishment. No other
country in the world holds people in prison for almost half a century.
<br><br>
It is not too late for you to fulfill your mission, “to promote public
safety and to strive for justice and fairness in the exercise of [your]
authority to release and supervise offenders under [your] jurisdiction,”
by ordering the immediate parole of Mr. López Rivera.<br><br>
<br>
Very truly yours,<br>
*************************************************<br><br>
</font><font size=4><b>Parole Board Phone call-in script<br><br>
</b></font><font size=3>9-5 EST until further notice<br><br>
US Parole Board phone: (301) 492-5990Hit 0 to speak to operator.
<br><br>
Sample script is below.<br><br>
Hi, I’m calling for the release of Oscar López # 87651-024 and I live in
Chicago [NY, etc.] <br><br>
The Parole Commission should reconsider its order denying him parole, and
grant him immediate parole.<br><br>
IF YOU HAVE TIME, USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:<br><br>
1) Oscar has the support of a broad sector of Puerto Rico’s civil society
as well as Puerto Rican/Latino communities and those who support
human rights throughout the United States.<br><br>
2) Oscar was not accused or convicted of causing injury or taking a life.
He was never accused or convicted of participating in the 1975 Fraunces
Tavern bombing or any other action that resulted in injury or
death.<br><br>
3) President Clinton’s determination that Mr. López Rivera’s sentence was
disproportionately lengthy, and his offer that would have resulted in Mr.
López Rivera’s release in September of 2009.<br>
******************************************************************<br><br>
Coordinating Committee<br>
National Boricua Human Rights Network<br>
2739 W. Division Street<br>
Chicago IL 60622<br>
<a href="http://www.boricuahumanrights.org">www.boricuahumanrights.org</a>
<br>
twitter: olrcat<br><br>
Comité Pro-Derechos Humanos<br>
<a href="http://www.presospoliticospuertorriquenos.org">
www.presospoliticospuertorriquenos.org</a><br><br>
<br><br>
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