Author Archive for jack

A circle of support in front of the courthouse before the first day of the Transform Now Plowshares trial in Knoxville – Michael, Megan, Greg, Greg’s wife Michele and Art.

by Patrick O’Neill

NOTE — During a Thursday morning hearing to decide if Michael, Greg and Sr. Megan would get released pending their Sept. 23 sentencing, the judge, a George W. Bush appointee to the federal bench, was clearly struggling with his decision because it appeared that he might have “no choice” but to remand them to custody because the U.S. Attorney told him a congressional law might require him to do so because the three were found guilty of sabotage — an “act of violence” against the United States. “It is preposterous that Congress would pass a law that would not distinguish between peace protestors and terrorists,” the judge said — and off to jail they went.

Knoxville, TN – In the annals of “Plowshare” lore there was nothing like it. An 83-year old nun, Sr. Megan Rice, and two other “senior citizens” as one defense attorney called Rice and her companions, Michael Walli, 63, and Greg Boertje-Obed, 57, seemed to pass through the midst of what was considered the most secure nuclear weapons facility on the planet.

Rivera family (photo courtesy War Resisters Support Campaign)

From the War Resisters Support Campaign, Canada

TORONTO — On Monday afternoon, during a court-martial hearing at Fort Carson, Colorado, Kimberly Rivera was sentenced to 14 months in military prison and a dishonourable discharge after publicly expressing her conscientious objection to the Iraq War while in Canada. A pre-trial agreement capped the sentence at 10 months of confinement and a bad conduct discharge.

Private First Class Kimberly Rivera deployed to Iraq in 2006 and sought asylum in Canada in 2007 because she decided she could no longer be complicit in the war. A mother of four young children—including two who were born in Canada—she was forced back to the United States of America by the Conservative government after receiving a negative decision on her pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA).

Liu Yuandong standing in front of Democratic Action banner, Photo: Wiebo

from Amnesty International

URGENT ACTION – April 19, 2013

Activist Liu Yuandong, a businessman, was detained on 23 February in Guangzhou, China after he took part in a protest against North Korea’s nuclear tests. He is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.

Liu Yuandong, a 35-year-old businessman, protested with several other people against North Korea’s nuclear tests on 23 February in the southern city of Guangzhou. They were all detained, and given administrative detention orders ranging from seven to 15 days for violating the Law on Assemblies, Processions and Demonstrations. All but Liu Yuandong have since been released, and have told the media they were deprived of sleep in custody.

witnesstorture.org photo

from Witness Against Torture

Responding to reports that 84 men — more than half of those imprisoned at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay — are hunger striking to protest their indefinite detention, 12 concerned activists with Witness Against Torture were arrested on April 22 at approximately 3 p.m. in a “die-in” on the steps of the Federal Courthouse at Manhattan’s Foley Square.

Those arrested, some in orange jumpsuits and black hoods, held signs with names of the men who have already died under U.S. custody at the prison. Fearing that more prisoners could die soon, the protesters are demanding that immediate measures be taken by the Obama administration to close the prison.