Minneapolis, MN – Jess Sundin, a spokesperson of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and an anti-war leader, hailed the Dec. 31 release of jailed attorney Lynne Stewart. Sundin stated, “People's attorney, Lynne Stewart, is a hero who was imprisoned for doing the right thing. She has always stood up for the oppressed and this is why people around the world have been speaking up to demand her freedom. After countless letters, phone calls and protests, we are overjoyed that Lynne's freedom has finally been won. I am so happy she's finally home with her family today. May this be the first of many freedoms in 2014.”
Salt Lake City, UT – On Nov. 13, the October 7th Anti-War Committee hosted a rally joined by Workers World Party and the Revolutionary Students Union to demand the U.S. government drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh. Rasmea Odeh is a Palestinian-American community organizer and international solidarity activist who has held U.S. citizenship for over 20 years. The U.S. government charged Odeh with an immigration violation, alleging she violated the law by not identifying her arrest by the Israeli army more than 40 years ago. The U.S. government is engaging in clear political repression.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following important statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR). We urge all of our readers to share this statement as broadly as possible.Outrageous arrest in Chicago Stop the repression of Palestinian activists
Minneapolis, MN – With the third anniversary of the FBI raids on anti-war and international solidarity activists approaching on Sept. 24, we are reprinting the above photo of “Karen Sullivan” (right) with her associate, “Daniela Cardenas.” These agents are dangerous to progressive activists. If you see them or are in contact with them, make their presence known to others in the peace and justice movements.
Minneapolis, MN – The anti-war movement sees Chelsea Manning as a hero for exposing the truth of the brutality of U.S. warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result of her bravery in releasing classified documents that exposed U.S. war crimes to WikiLeaks, on Aug. 21 Manning was sentenced to military prison for 35 years.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – 20 supporters of whistleblower Private First Class Bradley Manning gathered on the evening of Aug. 21 at the Federal Building in downtown here for an emergency protest. They demanded a presidential pardon for the 25-year old whistleblower.
San José, CA – On July 19, some 25 people gathered at the San José Peace and Justice Center to watch the film USA vs. Al-Arian. The event was organized by the South Bay Committee Against Political Repression (SBCAPR) and emceed by Donna Wallach of the SBCAPR.
_Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners send messages of support _
Washington, DC – 50 people gathered at Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, July 12, to demand compassionate release for Lynne Stewart. Music and speakers rallied the crowd, reaching thousands of passersby at this busy square during evening rush hour. Undaunted by rain, protesters passed out hundreds of flyers and collected petition signatures urging the release of Stewart, imprisoned on bogus terrorism charges for her work as a defense attorney. Although Stewart has stage four cancer and qualifies for early release based on compassionate grounds, the Bureau of Prisons has refused to release her.
Minneapolis, MN – In an effort to build support for the compassionate release of Lynne Stewart from prison, a delegation of community leaders met with staff at the office of Congressman Keith Ellison on June 20.
New York, NY – Jess Sundin, of the Committee to Stop FBI repression, spoke on a panel at the Left Forum here, June 8. Entitled the “Targeted killings of Americans on American soil: the story of Lynne Stewart, political prisoners and all progressive struggles in America.” The panel included Ralph Poynter, husband of jailed people’s lawyer Lynn Stewart and a leader of her defense committee. Also speaking was Ricardo Jimenez and Luis Rosa, fighters for Puerto Rico’s independence who served long prison sentences, Sue Udry of the Defending Dissent Foundation, Reverend Pinkney, Pam Africa, and others.
Lynne Stewart, a heroic and long-time progressive lawyer, is serving a ten-year prison sentence in Fort Worth, Texas for ‘material support of terrorism,’ after serving as defense attorney for Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. On June 9 Fight Back! spoke with her husband, Ralph Poynter, about her case. Poynter is a Black community leader and retired New York City teacher.
Minneapolis, MN – About 200 Somalis, mainly women, converged on the Federal Building here, May 16, for the sentencing hearing of two Somali humanitarian workers. Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan were convicted of ‘material support for terrorism’ in October, 2011. Judge Michael J. Davis handed down a 20-year sentence for Amina Ali and a 10-year sentence for Hawo Hassan.
Struggle continues to free Gerardo, Ramón, Antonio and Fernando
Miami, FL – On May 3, René González, one of the Cuban 5, finally won his freedom from the U.S. prison system when a judge ruled that he could move back to Cuba. González had already served an unjust sentence of more than 13 years in U.S. prisons. He was then was forced to stay in Miami another year and a half on parole. González was greeted as a hero on his return to Cuba, which has waged a determined campaign to win freedom for the Cuban 5.
Minneapolis, MN – On April 15, Noor Elashi, daughter of wrongfully imprisoned Holy Land 5 defendant Ghassan Elashi, spoke to a packed room of over 50 people, mostly students from the University of Minnesota, about her father’s case. John Cline, Ghassan Elashi’s lawyer, also spoke of the injustice brought upon the five men who founded and built the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. George W. Bush shut down The Holy Land Foundation, falsely claiming its charity work for Palestine had ties to terrorism.
!["Karen Sullivan" (right) with her associate "Daniela Cardenas".](https://i.snap.as/6jdArOiC.jpg "\\"Karen Sullivan\\" \(right\) with her associate \\"Daniela Cardenas\\". \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)")
