witness against torture

Fast and Vigil for Justice - Final Report

Witness Against Torture at WhiteHouse Jan 22, 2010

From January 11 - January 22, over one hundred and fifty people spent the last 12 days fasting, vigiling, lobbying and then, finally, engaging in civil disobedience to call for a closure of Guantanamo and an end to all torture. Below is a short summary of our daily activities and links to some reflections. Be sure to poke around witnesstorture.org for a bounty of videos, photos, press clippings and more. more...

At 78 years, lifelong protester racks up convictions, marches on [Washington Post]

It's a familiar scene for Eve Tetaz. She sits in the cold, damp holding cell, crammed together with other women. Some, like her, were arrested for protesting. Others are locked up for drugs, assault or prostitution. more...

Day 12: Fast and Vigil for Justice

Fast for Jusitice, Jan 21

All of our friends who spent last night and the better part of today in jail, have now been released. After 30 hours locked up, the system slowly grinded on, and people have a first court date of March 18. We'll keep you in the loop as details around a possible trial come together. From those who were arrested, there were stories of joy as well as frustration… more...

Inside the Capitol Rotunda (Jan 21)

Guantanamo memorial in US Capitol Rotunda

Fourteen Witness Against Torture activists entered the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol while dozens more were gathered outside. The Rotunda is site where U.S. presidents are waked, before burial. The U.S. government calls it the "Temple of Liberty" and the "Stage of the Nation." The activists formed a semicircle around the white circle in the Rotunda which designates the spot from which a new president departs for his inauguration and to which a president's body is returned after he dies. more...

Day 11: Fast and Vigil for Justice

Witness Against Torture at the Supreme Court

Today was a busy one. As I sit to write this brief update, forty-two friends are in DC jail after simultaneous actions inside and outside the US Capitol. Rather than re-count the actions here, we encourage you too look through our site for photos, videos and other reports. Please forward links around, post them on facebook, e-mail them to friends and family, not to highlight what we have done, but to draw attention to the continuing crime of Guantanamo. more...

42 Arrested at U.S. Capitol in Day of Action to Denounce Obama’s Broken Promises on Guantanamo

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Washington, DC - In a dramatic protest, 42 activists with Witness Against Torture were arrested this afternoon at the U.S. Capitol. Most of the arrestees had been fasting since January 11th.

The protest, which comes on the eve of the since-voided deadline President Obama had set for closing the prison camp at Guantanamo, was part of nationwide set of actions today that included dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans lobbying Congress; a campaign by human rights organizations - with the support of the rock superband, Coldplay - to flood Twitter with the "CloseGitmo" message; and, a press conference held by retired Generals at the National Press Club. more...

PROMISES, PROMISES: Gitmo closing deadline missed [AP]

As President Barack Obama neared his self-imposed deadline to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, the Justice Department offices of the terrorist detention task force were bustling — not with lawyers but construction workers tearing apart the walls, ripping out any trace of the secretive work, though Obama's goal is still far off. more...

Jan 21: Witness Against Torture Decries Obama's Broken Promises, America's Broken Laws, Lives Broken By Torture

WASHINGTON, DC: A year ago today, Barack Obama was inaugurated President, riding a waves of hope and excitement into the Oval Office. Two days later, he signed executive orders outlawing torture and committing his administration to closing Guantanamo within a year. more...

Courage, Muslim Brother, You Do Not Walk Alone

Ghostwalking

Witness Against Torture activists entered the Hart Senate office building in Washington, DC at 1pm today, January 20, 2010, to lobby Congress in a new way. We were dressed in orange jumpsuits with the names of Guantanamo prisoners that have been cleared for release pinned to our backs. Four activists went to each of the seven floors to walk through the corridors in silence. more...

Day 9: Fast and Vigil for Justice

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We began Day 9 before the sun came up, getting everyone together, into orange jumpsuits, and out the door of St. Stephen's by 6:20am. Off we went to the Pentagon, to participate in a weekly vigil that the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker has been holding consistently for over 25 years. more...