EMERGENCY CALLS TO OPPOSE UNFAIR TRIALS

I know that many of you are focused on our upcoming week of lobbying on Darfur. Unfortunately, however, an emergency situation has arisen that needs our attention RIGHT NOW.

The Bush Administration is attempting to get around Supreme Court recent rulings by having Congress pass legislation authorizing “military tribunals” for so-called “enemy combatants.” These tribunals, in turn, would be able to convict people on the basis of evidence that their lawyers haven’t seen. They would also allow evidence obtained through torture and protect officials who have committed torture. They would also remove the right to challenge one’s detention through habeas corpus appeals.

This legislation is so bad that moderate Republicans such as Senator McCain are refusing to go along. Unfortunately, however, the alternative legislation they are offering also undermines basic human rights—just not as much as the administration's bill.

Please contact your representative and BOTH of our senators to urge them to vote against ANY proposal that would:

· Authorize unfair trials that would allow the accused to be convicted on the basis of secret evidence;
· Allow for the use of interrogation techniques that amount to torture or ill-treatment;
· Undermine the fundamental right of judicial review through habeas corpus proceedings for anyone in detention;
· Codify a broad definition of "unlawful enemy combatant" that would grant expansive power to the Executive to detain people;
· Establish retroactive immunity for individuals who may have committed torture and other war crimes.

If you need to be brief, you can tell your elected officials, “By supporting Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, the Supreme Court has upheld international law calling for fair trials and prohibiting torture and other cruel and degrading treatment. I urge the Senator to maintain this ruling by rejecting any proposals that would weaken the Geneva Conventions, allowing for unfair trials and ill-treatment of people in detention.”

This week, you can call your congressional offices toll free at 1-800-AMNESTY. This will patch you through to the congressional switchboard, so you will need to know which office you want to speak with. Everyone in New Jersey should speak with the offices of Senator Frank Lautenberg and Senator Robert Menendez. If you don’t know who your Congressman is, please enter your zip code at http://www.house.gov/.

You can dial Senator Lautenberg’s office directly at (202) 224-3224. Senator Menendez’s office is at (202) 224-4744. You can find your congressman’s website and phone number by entering your zip code at http://www.house.gov/.

Thanks again for all of the work that everyone is doing on Darfur. Please, however, take a few minutes to help protect human rights in our own country!

Larry Ladutke
NJ Legislative Coordinator, AIUSA