Help Launch 86 Days of Action Against Torture! Rally in Princeton This Saturday!

This Wednesday marks the first anniversary of the Military Commissions Act, which denies the fundamental right of habeas corpus to anyone the government says is an “unlawful enemy combatant.” It further undermines the fundamental right to due process by allowing the use of so-called “evidence” obtained through physically and psychological abusive techniques—information that is clearly unreliable.

Fortunately, Wednesday also marks the beginning of Amnesty’s 86 Days of Act against torture, which runs until the sixth anniversary of the transfer of prisoners to Guantánamo. I will be speaking in at a rally in Princeton this Saturday, October 20th, at 12 noon. Rev. Robert Moore of the NJ Coalition for Peace Action will also be speaking I hope you can join us at Princeton Borough Hall!

As you may recall, Amnesty took part in a national day of action to support legislation to correct the damage done by the Military Commissions Act. We have seen some important progress. The Senate came very close to attaching an amendment restoring habeas corpus to the Defense Authorization Bill, but failed to overcome a filibuster. Congress has also forced the Bush Administration to release documents proving that, despite its claims to the contrary, our government has continued to physically and psychologically abuse prisoners with stress positions, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding (simulated drowning).

Please check back for information about hosting a screening of the new docmumentary, The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.