Attorney Reports Human Rights Abuses of GI Resisters
Attorneys and veteran’s groups are alarmed by recent reports that two US Army soldiers imprisoned at the Fort Lewis Regional Correctional Facility (RCF) have been subjected to human rights abuses and violations of their constitutional rights.
Travis Bishop, who has served a tour of duty in Iraq and is now recognized by Amnesty International as a “Prisoner of Conscience,” resisted deployment to Afghanistan. The other soldier, Leo Church, recently went absent without leave (AWOL) from his unit in order to prevent his family from going homeless.
The civilian defense attorney for both soldiers, James M. Branum, told Truthout that both soldiers have been strip-searched while possibly being filmed. Bishop and Church have also been watched by female guards during strip-searches, while using the restroom as well as while in the showers. Both soldiers have been denied one in-person visit by their attorneys and all phone calls with their attorneys have been illegally monitored by guards.
Branum reported, “The Fort Lewis Brig is violating the constitutional rights of my clients, namely their protections under the Eighth Amendment (the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment) and the Sixth Amendment (the right to counsel). This mistreatment must end.”
Seth Manzel, a Fort Lewis Stryker Brigade veteran and executive director of the veteran support group G.I. Voice, said of the matter, “These techniques of sexual humiliation are far too similar to those practiced on foreign prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Bagram in Afghanistan. Is the Army at Fort Lewis using enhanced interrogation techniques to break down American soldiers here at home?”
Manzel, speaking with Truthout via telephone, said his group wants people to know that these abuses are occurring against soldiers “who signed up to defend the country” and “the idea that we do this to our own soldiers demonstrates how amazingly barbaric this system is.”
full story
http://dahrjamailiraq.com/attorney-reports-human-rights-abus...
contact info
for Travis release
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/47339
A million
thanks, Liberty Belle, for keeping this on the active topics' list. I am so upset/outraged/po'd that I truly cannot even begin to express myself.
This made me cry and is wrong, wrong, wrong:
Church was imprisoned for having gone AWOL, which he did in order to prevent his wife and children from becoming homeless. He tried to get help from his unit, but was denied, and received eight months prison time. Church was eventually FORCED BY THIS ORDEAL TO GIVE HIS NEWBORN SON UP FOR ADOPTION. According to Church, “With everything that was going on, from me leaving, even though it was to care for my family, because I could find no support from the Army, Amanda and I had to place our son, Austin in a loving home through adoption. We did not want him enduring the strife that we had endured and for him to end up being fatherless, because I would be living in prison.”
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I will be submitting this information to my local paper tomorrow. One can only submit one article per day, and I already submitted one today. Citizens need to be informed...
Berwick, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Ron Paul 2012 - The People's Choice
rEVOLution SuperPAC: http://www.revolutionpac.com/
WTP Federal Lawsuit to BAN ALL ELECTRONIC VOTING
http://www.wethepeoplefoundation.org/UPDATE/Update2011-07-26...
Great find,
that's a very good website.
Ehren Watada: Free at Last
Read his story
On June 7, 2006, a 28-year-old Army lieutenant named Ehren Watada released a video press statement announcing that he was refusing to deploy to Iraq because the Iraq War was illegal and his "participation would make me party to war crimes." After three years of trying to convict him by court martial, the Army has finally given up and allowed Lt. Watada to resign. Despite his direct refusal of an order to deploy, Watada did not spend a single day in jail.
Crucial to his argument was the unconstitutionality of the decision to go to war. "We had people within our country with tremendous amounts of power who were doing whatever they felt they wanted to," Watada explained. "There were no checks and balances like our Constitution espouses."
His disobedience was also his duty under international law: The UN Charter and the Nuremberg principles "bar wars of aggression." As treaties, they are US law as well.
full story and video
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091109/brecher_smith
*****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
Great story
I hope he tells his story often and loudly. THAT is how one leads by example.
Truth exists, and it deserves to be cherished.
How long will it be before
they start torturing soldiers for doing the right thing. We MUST stay on top of this and try and make this go public. This should be on digg.
Prepare & Share the Message of Freedom through Positive-Peaceful-Activism.
His disobedience was also his duty
Read the Watada story and how he fought this! This is what I hope the oathkeepers also see!
*****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
Where is the peace movement?
The "liberty lovers" don't want to make a big deal about peace around here, they are trying to woo the 9-12ers and TEA Party folks.
We are not voting our way out of this, folks. The election process, at best, is Democratic, and you are trying to use it to restore a Republic. Got a headache yet?
Truth exists, and it deserves to be cherished.
The day that Americans... stand up and rescue these heroes..
from the tyrany of an OUT OF CONTROL GOVERNMENT... Is the day America is ready to be a Free Nation-- A Republic Reborn!!
---Imagine.. 1000 Oath Keepers.. or well organized Militia showing up ..and using non-lethal (if possible) force to rescue these brave souls trapped in a military prison.. THAT WOULD SHOW THE PTB THAT WE THE PEOPLE ARE BACK..AND WE ARE DONE TAKING THEIR CRAP FOREVER!!!
This force of militias..would grow by 500% virtually overnight...as its ranks swelled... by the popularity.. it would create in the people... A popularity created by simply standing up and doing the right thing .
Fort Lewis Brig is violating the constitutional rights
*****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
Agreed! IMO a better use
* of time and energy would be to coalition with the pro peace groups!
I am so sick of the tea party, 912, Beck, Pailn crap. It's insulting to see so much of it being followed ANAL LIES-ed on here! WE would have more success seperating ourselves from the war mongers ASAP! We should reach out to those on the left that helped with 1207 and those that are disappointed with the O on the war escalation!
****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
This is shameful
Thses guys are being denied basic rights and are being subjected to abuse.
bumping for others to read since this report got lost in the black hole!
*****
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd