Take Action!

URGENT! FREE PETER ERLINDER!
Information from MN Metro WILPF's sister organization: Women Against Military Madness (WAMM):

Summary: Peter Erlinder is a William Mitchell law professor and international human rights attorney. He traveled to Rwanda to join the legal team defending opposition presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza. He was arrested on May 28, 2010 by Rwandan police on false charges. He is being held in a Rwandan prison.

6/4/2010 - We just heard from D.C. that Peter is in a hearing right now in Rwanda and that we should keep the pressure on, keep calling our congressional representatives and others (contact information below). Peter Erlinder has been a WAMM member for at least twenty years, and really needs our help right now. If you have activist friends in other states, it is essential that you get the word out to them as well. We need the White House to know that this is more than a concern of Minnesotans, and is an issue that has support from all over the U. S. If you've never made a call to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, this would be the one to make.

St. Paul attorney Peter Erlinder, detained under arrest in Rwanda, is the past president of the National Lawyers Guild and sat on the UN International Criminal Court. The client he represents is a political candidate. It is believed that this is the real reason for his arrest. The National Lawyers Guild and Hotel Rwanda Foundation (associated with the film) have called for his immediate release. The president of the American Bar Association, Carolyn B. Lamm, urged Rwanda to respect United Nations protocols on the role of lawyers, one of which she said stipulated that lawyers “shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.” The U.S. State Department has called for his release. Advocates continue to be very concerned about him and are calling for more pressure from the U.S. congresspeople on the State Department to demand his release.

The most recent updates on his arrest and reports, including DemocracyNow! today can be found at: http://interceder.net/news/peter-erlinder

Human Rights First (not to be confused with Human Rights Watch) has really good coverage and analyses: http://humanrightsfirst.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/peter-erlinder-jailed-by-one-of-the-major-genocidaires-of-our-era/

Video of interview on Our World in Depth cable program and WILF talk by Peter Erlinder: http://ourworldindepth.org/

TAKE ACTION:

Please share this information and encourage everyone you know to contact the state department, their representatives in congress and other appropriate officials to demand the immediate release of Peter Erlinder. The U.S. and Rwanda need to know that many people are paying attention and our pressure will not decrease—it will only grow! Below is a list of numbers to call and a sample script; of course feel free edit or use as a jumping off point. Thank you again and please call, call, call!!

SCRIPT:

My name is ____________, I am calling/writing about the arrest of Professor Peter Erlinder in Rwanda last Friday (May 28th) morning. He was in Rwanda acting as an attorney, representing his client, opposition presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza. I am asking to ask you to demand his immediate release from Rwandan jail. His detention violates his human rights, he is in danger and as an U.S. citizen deserves the highest level of advocacy and protection from the U.S. government. Please call for his immediate release. Thank you.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Bureau of African Affairs: 202-647-4440
Julie Steinhert, State Department - Rwanda Desk: 202-647-1893
State Department - Rwanda Desk (general): 202-647-1637
Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs: 202-647-2530
Rwanda Embassy (NY): 212-679-9010 or 212-679-9023
Stephen J. Rapp, War Crimes Ambassador: 202-647-6051
Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN Accredited Journalists: 212-415-4050
Opinion and Comment Line: 212-415-4062
Rwanda Mission to the UN in the U.S.: 212-679-9010 or 679-9023
Rwandan Ambassador James Kimonyo: 202-232-2882
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Department of State: 202-647-4000
AND YOUR OWN SENATORS / REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS! (See: Contacting the Congress to look up your representative or senator.)

NOTE: Peter Erlinder and his wife Masako Usui are also members of the U. S. Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and of the Minnesota Metro Branch.

Every Wednesday 7 to 8 am Vigil - Who Profits? Who Dies? At Alliant Techsystems, an international defense contractor based in MN. Outside Alliant's front door, 5050 Lincoln Drive Edina, MN. Sponsored by AlliantAction. Info and directions to Alliant Techsystems: AlliantAction

Every Wednesday 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge, starting on the St. Paul side, Sponsored by WAMM and the Twin Cities Campaign.

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