Amnesty International Group 22 Caltech/Pasadena Newsletter
February 1999
COORDINATOR'S CORNER
As I write, it's an absolutely glorious California day outside, adding
special poignancy to the fact that last week the state killed a man. Jay
Siripongs will never again see the light of day. Thank you to everyone who
wrote appeals on this case, and especially to Martha Ter Maat for
coordinating the actions and also leading the touching vigil in Pasadena
the evening before the execution. None of this work is in vain. It is
vital to keep the issue alive both with the thinking public and with our
elected representatives. It wouldn't hurt to write to Gray Davis yet
again, to remind him of how we feel (address: The Honorable Gray Davis,
State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814).
Amnesty International as an organization takes an unequivocal
anti-death-penalty stance, as do many of us as individuals. Of course,
different people's consciences approach the issue in different ways. There
is certainly room in AI for different points of view, and no one should
feel compelled to participate in actions they don't agree with. On the
other hand, many anti-death-penalty activists might not be against the
death penalty in principle, but have problems with its implementation in
the real world. (Can we guarantee fairness with respect to race and class?
Should juveniles be held to the same standards? How do we deal with
knowing that a certain fraction of executed people are innocent?)
The day is stubbornly maintaining its beauty, and my thoughts turn to our
adopted prisoner of conscience in Tibet, Ngawang Pekar, and to prisoners
around the world. Please give a thought to their situation, and keep up
the letter writing on their behalf!
And I encourage all of you to come to the next group meeting (Thursday
evening, Feb. 25; see the calendar below) where Mary Weaver of the Pasadena
Chapter of Friends Outside will give an overview of the local county jail
and state prison systems, including the demographics, kinds of offenses,
and significant problems. There will be a discussion of how we can work to
improve the situation, within the context of AI's ongoing USA campaign.
Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
Larry Romans 626-683-4977
Group Coordinator ljr@ljr.net
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, February 25, 7:30 PM. Monthly Meeting at 1052 E. Del Mar (between
Catalina & Wilson) -- top floor. Highlights: Special Guest-Mary Weaver of
Friends Outside.
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 PM. Letter-writing Meeting in the Athenaeum
basement. Corner of California & Hill.
USA CAMPAIGN
Group 22's "planning committee", consisting of Emily, Diane, and Lucas, met
to discuss thoughts for actions in this campaign by the group. The first
step was to identify those areas of the campaign that are most relevant to
our own locality, i.e., Pasadena and neighbouring communities. It was felt
that, of the 6 general categories outlined by Mario Tafur in his talk to
the group, 4 were of particular relevance to us: police
brutality/accountability; prison conditions and abuse of coercive
technologies (stun belts, etc.); gender-specific prison violations; and
"MSP transfer" of technology to other countries where it is used in human
rights abuses.
These are of interest because of reports of local abuses, e.g., a death by
police hogtieing, or of the existence of high-tech local institutions that
might give rise to opportunities for technology abuse. Of the other
principal areas of the campaign, the death penalty for children is less
relevant because California law does not permit this, and detention of
asylum seekers is not occurring in our immediate area (although there are
such centers not far away, in San Pedro and Bakersfield). However, this
does not imply that we should ignore these areas altogether, as there is
concern about an initiative for the March 2000 ballot entitled "Gang
Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act", which, among other measures,
seeks to expand the death penalty to gang-related crimes and generally
increases penalties and weakens protections for minors. Actions directed
against this measure would tie in with the "mini-campaign" on juvenile
justice, and might include an event at a local bookstore centering on a
recent book on this topic.
The next step is to do research on the actual situation in our local
institutions, and then to identify ways of combating abuses, e.g., by
writing letters to the news media, tabling, and displays in local
bookstores or similar venues. We have assigned each other tasks in
researching these items and will report further at the next group meeting.
PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE
Ngawang Pekar, Tibetan Monk
We are continuing to work for the release of Ngawang Pekar for more details
about his case please check our web site:
http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~aigp22/ngawang/.
Last month we asked that you write letters to the Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright on behalf of Ngawang Pekar. Since she will be visiting
China on March 1 and 2nd we would like to encourage those of us who didn't
write last time to send a letter informing her of Pekar's case and urge her
to press for his release in the negotiations. Below is a sample letter that
you may either copy or use as a rough guide in composing your own letter.
Also below is a letter that I suggest we send as a group to Julia Taft, the
new Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues, to bring Ngawang Pekar to her
attention. I'd appreciate any comments on the draft and hopefully we can
send it off at the next group meeting.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Albright,
On hearing that you will be visiting China on March 1 and 2, I am writing
to inform you of my concern for Ngawang Pekar, a Tibetan monk, who was
arrested in 1989 for participating in a peaceful demonstration and
sentenced to 8 years in prison. Subsequently, his sentence was increased by
6 more years. I am concerned that he has been imprisoned solely for the
peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and about reports
that he has been beaten and denied access to medical care since his arrest.
I am also concerned that the 6-year increase in his sentence was an
extremely harsh punishment for keeping a list of his fellow prisoners and
that he was subsequently held in an iron cell for 3 months after the list
was found.
Although Ngawang Pekar is only one man, his release could serve as a show
of "good faith" that the Chinese government is serious in its efforts to
begin to comply with international standards of human rights. The question
of the legitimacy of Chinese rule over Tibet is not at issue here. I
therefore respectfully urge you to bring up Pekar's case in your future
dealings with the Chinese authorities and request that he be immediately
and unconditionally released in accordance with the international laws to
which China subscribes.
I hope that this information may help you during your talks and that you
may have an opportunity to raise his case with the Chinese authorities
during your visit. I thank you for your time and attention to this
important matter and would greatly appreciate any further information that
you may be able to provide.
Sincerely,
------------------------
Julia Vadala Taft
Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues
Department of State
2201 C St., NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Mrs. Taft,
We are writing you to congratulate you on your recent appointment. The
position of Special Coordinator for Tibet Issues is a difficult and
important one. We know, by looking at you past accomplishments that you
will do a terrific job for the US government and for the interest of the
Tibetan people inside Tibet and in exile.
We would also like to express our deep concern for Nwagang Pekar, a
prisoner being held by Chinese authorities in Tibet Autonomous Region
Prison No. 1. Ngawang Pekar, a Tibetan monk, was arrested in 1989 for
participating in a peaceful demonstration and sentenced to 8 years in
prison. Subsequently, his sentence was increased by 6 more years. We are
concerned that he has been imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of
his right to freedom of expression and about reports that he has been
beaten and denied access to medical care since his arrest. We are also
concerned that the 6-year increase in his sentence was an extremely harsh
punishment for keeping a list of his fellow prisoners and that he was
subsequently held in an iron cell for 3 months after the list was found.
We have not heard anything about Nwagang Pekar for over a year and are very
worried about his condition and treatment, particularly following the riots
in Drapchi (Prison No. 1) on May 1 and 4, 1998. Please could you try to
find out about his condition and relay any information to us, it would be
greatly appreciated. We hope you will relay this information to those who
can take action on this.
Finally, Nwagang Pekar is a Prisoners of Conscience, imprisoned solely for
the peaceful expression of his beliefs and we therefore respectfully urge
you to bring up Pekar's case in your future dealings with the Chinese
authorities and request that he be immediately and unconditionally released
in accordance with the international laws to which China subscribes.
Thank you in advance for your time spent attending to our concerns and
please respond as soon as possible in regard to action you may take, or
comments you may have regarding this situation.
Sincerely,
URGENT ACTION:
Israel/Occupied Territories
Torture and ill-treatment / Legal concern: Jihad Husni Mohammed Shehadeh,
physics student, Palestinian
Jihad Husni Mohammed Shehadeh, a Palestinian detained without charge or
trial by Israel since August 1997 for his alleged links to Hamas, is
currently being interrogated and tortured, by Israel's General Security
Service (GSS).
Jihad Shehadeh has been under interrogation since 7 February 1999 when he
was transferred from prison in Israel to Hasharon interrogation centre,
also in Israel.
The method of torture used on Jihad Shehadeh has included shabeh, where the
person's hands and legs are tied to a chair in an uncomfortable position
and sleep deprivation. Except for periods of interrogation, Jihad Shehadeh
was hooded in this position with loud music playing, from the afternoon on
7 February until the following morning when he was taken to meet his lawyer.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Jihad Husni Mohammed Shehadeh was arrested in August 1997 under an
administrative detention order - a procedure by which detainees are held
without charge or trial for a renewable period of up to six months on the
orders of a military commander. His administrative detention order is due
to expire in one week.
For years, Amnesty International has expressed concern that secret Israeli
guidelines (authorized by the so-called Landau report in 1987), allow for
the use of torture or ill-treatment, which it refers to as 'moderate
physical pressure'. Similarly, since October 1994 a special ministerial
committee said that 'increased physical pressure' can be used during
interrogation.
GSS officers who have testified in court admit to using prolonged sleep
deprivation, forcing detainees to sit or stand in painful positions for
long periods of time and squatting (gambaz) for up to two hours at a time.
Violent shaking (tiltul), which may cause brain damage, has also been used
but must be authorized by the head of the GSS.
A UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has referred to many of these practices
as 'methods of torture' as defined in the UN Convention against Torture.
The Israeli government, however, denies they constitute torture.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send letters:
- asking the Israeli authorities whether shabeh has been used on Jihad
Husni Mohammed Shehadeh and reminding them that this practice constitutes
torture, in breach of the Convention against Torture to which Israel is a
State Party;
- asking that the use of any interrogation methods which constitute torture
or ill-treatment cease immediately;
- calling for the release of Jihad Husni Mohammed Shehadeh if he is not to
be promptly charged with a recognizably criminal offence and given a fair
trial according to international standards;
- reminding the government of Israel of its commitment to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, in particular Article 5: 'No one shall be
subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment'.
APPEALS TO:
Mr Binyamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
3 Kaplan Street
Jerusalem 91919, Israel
Dear Prime Minister:
Faxes: 011 972-2-566-
29 Salah al-Din Street
Jerusalem 91029, Israel
Dear Minister:
Mr Avigdor Kahalani
Minister of Internal Security
Ministry of Internal Security
PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah
Kiryat Hamemshala
Jerusalem 91181, Israel
Dear Minister:
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Zalman Shoval
Embassy of Israel
3514 International Dr. NW
Washington DC 20008
MARTHA'S WEB TIPS FOR FEBRUARY
San Francisco Bay Guardian
http://www.sfbg.com/News/33/17/Features/boys.html
http://www.sfbg.com/News/33/18/Features/juvie.html
The San Francisco Bay Guardian recently ran a two part series on the
juvenile justice. The first article "Lost Boys" recounts the fate of
juveniles given "life without parole" sentences. The second discusses
reforms and problems with San Francisco's juvenile justice system.
American Prospect
http://epn.org/prospect/38/38andef.html
Another good introduction to the issue of juvenile crime is this article
from "American Prospect" by David Anderson, author of Sensible Justice:
Alternatives to Prison entitled "When should kids go to jail?"
DEATH PENALTY UPDATE
Respond to Anthony Porter's Release!
On 5 February 1999, Anthony Porter was released on bail after more than 16
years under sentence of death. He had been convicted of the murder of a
young couple, Jerry Hillard and Marilyn Green, in a park on Chicago's South
Side in August 1982.
Anthony Porter came within two days of execution in September 1998. The
execution was stayed by the Illinois Supreme Court so that a hearing could
be held to establish whether he was mentally competent to be put to death.
Illinois law requires that inmates understand their punishment before they
are executed. In August 1998, Anthony Porter's IQ had been measured at 51,
which would have made him the most severely mentally retarded prisoner put
to death since the USA resumed executions in 1977.
The competency hearing got underway on 1 February 1999. However, in a
dramatic turn of events, proceedings were suspended on 2 February when
evidence came to light that Anthony Porter had been wrongfully convicted.
Five journalism students and their professor from Northwestern University
had been investigating the case for the past few months, and, together with
a private investigator, had unearthed evidence apparently exonerating the
prisoner.
The students' investigation culminated in a videotaped interview with
Alstory Simon conducted by one of the students and the private investigator
on 3 February. In this interview Simon admitted to the killings, saying he
had shot Jerry Hillard in self-defence during an argument over drug money.
He said that the killing of Marilyn Green had been accidental.
The state's lead witness at the trial had earlier retracted his eyewitness
testimony, which identified Porter as the gunman. Alstory Simon's estranged
wife and her nephew signed affidavits implicating Simon as the killer.
Anthony Porter was released on 5 February and Alstory Simon was arrested
two days later and charged with the 1982 killings.
If Anthony Porter's conviction is overturned, he will become the 10th
condemned inmate to be exonerated and released from death row in Illinois
since 1977. Concern over this rate of wrongful conviction has fuelled
demands for a moratorium on executions in Illinois, at least until the
capital justice system can be shown to be safe from irrevocable error.
Following Anthony Porter's release, Chicago's two biggest newspapers - the
Sun-Times and the Tribune - both called for a moratorium.
On the day of Anthony Porter's release, a spokesperson for Governor Ryan
reportedly said: 'I know people use these reversals as an argument for a
moratorium or why the death penalty should be revised, but an argument can
also be made that the system is working as designed.' He said it was the
long appeals process that gave the journalism students time to uncover the
evidence of wrongful conviction, adding, 'the media is part of the system'.
The spokesperson failed to point out that 'the system' has apparently kept
a wrongfully convicted man on death row for over 16 years and would have
executed him in September 1998 if his IQ had not been measured as
abnormally low a month earlier. Furthermore, it was only by chance that a
group of students had chosen to investigate Anthony Porter's case as part
of their studies. One of the students recently said: 'One of the things
I'll take with me as I start a journalism career, is that journalists
really need to do this kind of stuff. Basically, the press just reported it
at the time - Porter was arrested for this murder and nobody cared. It was
a couple of people on the South Side. People get killed there regularly.'
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Pressure is mounting on the Illinois state authorities to at least conduct
a review of death row cases in the state to establish whether there have
been any other wrongful convictions. On 8 February, Governor Ryan
reportedly stated that he is willing to discuss a moratorium on executions,
and several Illinois legislators are said to be planning to introduce bills
to the state legislature that would impose a moratorium.
In its November 1998 report Fatal Flaws: Innocence and the Death Penalty in
the USA (AMR 51/69/98), Amnesty International featured the case of Aaron
Patterson, currently on death row in Pontiac Prison, Illinois. There are
serious doubts about his guilt.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
If possible send appeals to add to the pressure for a moratorium following
the release of Anthony Porter:
- noting the release of Anthony Porter, who would have been executed in
September 1998 if his IQ had not been measured as being abnormally low a
month earlier;
- noting that, if he is exonerated, Anthony Porter will be the 10th
wrongfully convicted prisoner to be released from death row since 1977;
- urging that steps be taken to abolish the death penalty in Illinois - the
only way of ensuring that innocent people are not executed;
- urging that, at the very least, a moratorium be imposed so that the
state's death penalty procedures can be investigated and a review of all
death sentences in Illinois can be conducted to establish if there are
other wrongfully convicted people on death row (you can mention the case of
Aaron Patterson as a possible example of wrongful conviction).
APPEALS TO:
Governor
The Honorable George Ryan
Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
Fax: 1 217 782 3560
Salutation: Dear Governor
PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:
Chicago Tribune
435 N Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Fax: 1 312 222 2598
Chicago Sun-Times
401 North Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Fax: 1 312 321 3084 or 2980
E-mail: letters@suntimes.com
1999 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Minneapolis in April!
This is a good time for AIUSA members to plan for the 1999 Annual General
Meeting, which will take place April 16-18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(Editor's note: the last blizzard of the year comes in late March so you're
safe, I swear). For those who haven't experienced Minneapolis first-hand,
it's a great discovery. In addition to a historically progressive political
climate, the city boasts many lakes and bridges, scenic walks, great music
and fine restaurants. The conference site, Radisson Hotel is ideally
situated on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Tours will be
available of a nearby torture survivor's clinic and the University's Human
Rights library. Special focus for the AGM this year will be on human
rights education and the USA campaign. Plan to be there for inspiring
keynote speakers, stimulating panels, a human rights education fair and
networking with other activists from across the nation. Group 22's Doo-Dah
parade shennanigans will be featured a the Idea's Fair!
The registration deadline is April 2. Call the regional office at
310-815-0450 to request a registration form.
THANKS FOR WRITING TO BI-MENG ZHENG
Many thanks to those who sent greetings to Bi-meng Zheng -- an asylum
seeker from China currently detained in San Pedro, California -- as part of
AIUSA's 1998 Holiday Card Action. The Refugee Office is aware that he has
written to many Amnesty members, and we are evaluating whether we can take
action on his case. It is clear that he was deeply moved by AIUSA members'
messages of warmth and concern.
EDITOR'S LAST WORD:
Read us on line: http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~aigp22/
Martha Ter Maat, 626-281-4039 / mtermaat@hsc.usc.edu
Amnesty International works impartially to free-individuals jailed solely
for their beliefs, ethnic origin, language, gender or sexual orientation,
provided they have not used or advocated violence-to ensure fair trials for
all political prisoners, and to abolish torture and executions worldwide.
It is funded by members and supporters around the world.