When I was at Amnesty we had an idea for a Gitmo cell tour. It was an concept from our team at Denounce Torture team, which I directed. It is awesome to see it move forward from an idea… to action. Proud to have a small part of this great idea.
See the cell near you. Here are the details:
National Tour Launch Event:11:30am - 1pm on May 8 in Bayfront Park, Tina Hills Pavilion, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL
Miami: May 8 - May 11 in Bayfront Park, Tina Hills Pavilion, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL WITH SPECIAL GUEST MARY ROBINSON ON MAY 10 at 2PM.
Philadelphia: May 30 -June 1 in Dilworth Plaza, 1400 JFK Blvd, Philadelphia, PA
Portland, Maine: June 5 -June 7 in Monument Square, Congress Street, Portland, ME
New York, Clearwater Festival: June 21 & 22, Croton Point Park, Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, NY
Washington DC: June 25 -June 30
June 26 Special Event in Washington DC to mark International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Senior officials bypassed army chief to introduce interrogation methods
merica’s most senior General was “hoodwinked” by top Bush administration officials determined to push through aggressive interrogation techniques of terror suspects held at Guantánamo Bay, leading to the US military abandoning its age-old ban on the cruel and inhumane treatment of prisoners, the Guardian reveals today.
General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff from 2001 to 2005, wrongly believed that inmates at Guantánamo and other prisons were protected by the Geneva conventions and from abuse tantamount to torture. The way he was duped by senior officials in Washington, who believed the Geneva conventions and other traditional safeguards were out of date, is disclosed in a devastating account of their role, extracts of which appear in today’s Guardian.
According to an ABC report, top Bush aides, including Condi Rice, micromanaged the torture of terrorist suspects from the White House basement. Discussions on torture were so detailed, that some interrogation sessions were virtually choreographed by a White House advisory group, The torture advisory group included then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, then-secretary of state Colin Powell, then-CIA director George Tenet and then-attorney general John Ashcroft and Vice President Dick Cheney ABC’s sources said.
HCR 2065 amended to create domestic partnerships; opponents object
Phoenix, Ariz. – Equality Arizona lauded the decision of Arizona legislators today to add pro-equality language to a proposed amendment to constitutionally define marriage, effectively blocking final passage of the bill. By a 28-27 vote, the Arizona House of Representatives amended HCR 2065 to include the creation of domestic partnerships, a concept that proponents of the marriage amendment oppose.
State Representative Kyrsten Sinema (D-15) championed the effort to amend the bill. Four Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the Sinema amendment.
Equality Arizona Executive Director Barbara McCullough-Jones released the following statement:
‘Today’s vote is a win for Arizona families. Thanks to the leadership of Representative Kyrsten Sinema, our friends and our allies, we are now able to focus on the issues that unite the people of Arizona.
‘Equality Arizona celebrates today’s decision with the thousands of people who called on the Legislature to stop this divisive measure. We remain committed to promoting public policy that strengthens Arizona’s children and families.’
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced Tuesday that he is halting all executions until the Supreme Court decides whether lethal injection violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Kaine’s announcement came as he stayed the April 8 execution of Edward N. Bell, who killed a police officer in Winchester in 1999.
Amnesty’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is coming up!
Register for the 2008 AGM today!
he 2008 AGM is fast approaching so register now to attend! This year’s AGM will feature a national Lobby Day on Monday, April 28th to lobby Congress on issues around our Stop Violence against Women campaign. The AGM will also feature speakers on the Denounce Torture campaign, including Emi MacLean from the Center for Constitutional Rights. Our keynote speaker this year is AI Secretary General Irene Khan and other featured speakers include 2008 Ginetta Sagan award winner Betty Makoni.
For a limited time, the AGM is offering $25 off registration for groups of 3 or more! That means anyone attending the AGM can receive $25 off each person’s registration if they register with three or more people. A group of three people would save $75 on registration. Read more at www.amnestyusa.org/agm
The AGM hotel block closes this Friday, April 4. After this Friday, there will only be a limited number of hotel rooms available and they will not be guaranteed at the AGM rate of $135/night. Please make sure to register for the AGM today at www.amnestyusa.org/agm and book your hotel room!
Sherrif Joe spent his Easter weekend speaking to anti-immigrant / white supremacy groups. Our friend, Stephen Lemons from the Phoenix New Times reported on it here. The most interesting part of this one on one interview with “America’s Toughest Sherrif” was this little diddy:
I asked Joe why he had spoken to the members of a known hate group on the night before this press conference, one that has accepted neo-Nazis and other racists into its ranks, like skinheads and members of the White Knights of America.
…
Post-press conference, Joe was milling about talking to reporters%2
Last week, a secret recording emerged of a disturbing speech by Oklahoma Representative Sally Kern stating that homosexuality is a bigger threat to our nation than “terrorism or Islam.” Rep. Kern has refused to apologize for her remarks.
Hateful speech by elected officials must not be tolerated – especially when hate crimes based on religion and sexual orientation are on the rise.
Rep. Raul Grijalva today announced his introduction of the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act of 2008, legislation prohibiting new uranium mining across 1 million acres of public lands in watersheds surrounding Grand Canyon National Park (original link here.)
GA Supreme Court Decision is ‘Simply Stunning;’ U.S. ‘Has Shrugged
Off the Very Notion of Justice at Every Level’ in Davis Case
Amnesty International USA decried today’s Georgia Supreme Court decision to deny a new trial for Troy Anthony Davis, who has been on death row for more than 16 years despite significant concerns regarding his innocence. The human rights organization, which has collected more than 60,000 petition signatures while campaigning for Davis, said the ruling demonstrates a blatant disregard for justice, and asserted that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles must grant clemency in his case.
