http://justice4rasmea.org/news/2016/04/21/mobilize-for-another-status-hearing-in-detroit/

For Immediate Release: Rasmea Defense Committee
Press Contact: Hatem Abudayyeh, National Spokesperson, 773-301- 4108, hatem85@yahoo.com

On Monday, June 13, 2016, Rasmea Odeh will appear with her attorneys before Judge Gershwin Drain for a status conference at the federal courthouse in Detroit, Michigan. Supporters will travel to Detroit as well, as they have done for all the previous court dates, to urge for a new trial for this Palestinian American icon who was convicted of a politically-motivated immigration charge in 2014, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation last year.

In a February decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to Judge Drain, saying he had wrongfully barred the testimony of a torture expert that was critical to Rasmea’s defense. At the trial, Rasmea was not allowed to tell the entire story of Israel forcing her to falsely confess to bombings in 1969, when she endured over three weeks of vicious sexual, physical, and psychological torture at the hands of the Israeli military.

Rasmea suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of this torture, which, according to world renowned psychologist, Dr. Mary Fabri, caused her to suppress the horrible recollection of the arrest when she answered questions on her immigration application. Judge Drain excluded Dr. Fabri’s testimony from the trial, and disallowed any evidence about the rape and torture. Appeals court judges sided with Rasmea’s defense team, and sent the case back to district court. If Judge Drain cannot determine new legal avenues to exclude the expert testimony, Rasmea will be granted a new trial.

“The conviction of Rasmea Odeh was a travesty of justice. Rasmea is a hero, who has dedicated her life to organizing for Palestinian liberation, and to building a society with dignity and justice for all. We will stand with Rasmea in Detroit on June 13, as we have been many times before, and call for a new trial, where she can finally tell her story,” said Jess Sundin of the national Rasmea Defense Committee.

Members of the committee were in DC just this week pressing Rasmea’s case to legislators, including Congressmen Danny Davis and Luis Gutierrez, respectively.

The committee is asking supporters to make plans to be in Detroit on the morning of June 13, and to donate to support the legal and community-based organizing work ahead. For more information, visit justice4rasmea.org and follow #Justice4Rasmea.

Media links:

A New Day for Rasmea Odeh: Throwing the Spotlight on Israeli Torture, Reader Support News, Dennis J. Bernstein, Apr. 3, 2016

Demands Grow for US to Drop Case Against Palestinian Activist, teleSUR tv, Jan. 28, 2016

#Justice4Rasmea: Palestinian activist’s supporters light up social media, rt.com, Jan. 29, 2016

Rasmea Yousef Odeh

http://ensj.weebly.com/2016-conference.html

Co-sponsored by:  Indian Community School, YWCA Southeast Wisconsin, Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, Wisconsin Education Association Council, Colectivo Coffee, Plowshare Center-Waukesha, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Education, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, Racine Unified School District.

http://bit.ly/1SkYC3H

http://www.ilps.info/index.php/en/

We Are GOD: A Day of Disrupting white Supremacy & Anti-Black Racism at UW-Madison

At the same time King was taken out of his classroom by UWPD (11:30am), we will be walking out of our classrooms to stand in solidarity with him and to organize against the anti-Black racism that has plagued our campus historically and contemporarily. We will be delivering our demands to the Chancellor and UWPD and need student support. We have to let them know that there are consequences for perpetuating white supremacy.

*This event and photo is in no way meant to associate King with the anti-racist art displayed above, but to associate the message of the art with the anti-Blackness that was rooted in the violation of his rights as a Black student.

The people of Odessa have called for a memorial on the second anniversary of the massacre at the House of Trade Unions that took place 2 years ago.  Right-wing organization have said that they will not allow the memorial rally to happen. UNAC will be sending a delegation to Ukraine to participate and observe.  Below is an appeal for the authorities to defend the democratic rights of the Ukrainian people to hold this memorial and also below is an a statement that we are asking groups to sign in support of the rights of the people of Odessa to held this memorial.  Please read both and have your organization sign the statement (or sign as an individual).

Emergency Appeal on Behalf of Human Rights Activists in Odessa, Ukraine

It’s been nearly two years since the world was shocked by reports of the deaths of scores of pro-democracy activists at the hands of extreme right-wing forces in the city of Odessa, Ukraine.
It was barely three months after a violent, right-wing coup overthrew the elected Ukrainian government. The activists had set up a tent city in Odessa’s historic Kulikovo Square to publicize their demand for a national referendum to decide the legitimacy of the coup. [read more]

Statement in support of the May 2 memorial to be held in Odessa, Ukraine, and for a
United Nations investigation into the tragic events of May 2, 201

On May 2, 2016, a memorial will be held in Odessa, Ukraine, to honor the memory of scores of pro-democracy activists who were brutally murdered on that date in Odessa two years ago.
There is no reason for the City authorities to forbid a peaceful memorial, but right-wing radicals – some of whom are believed to have been involved in the events of 2014 – have declared that they will not allow it to proceed. [read more and sign the statement here]

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If your organization would like to join the UNAC coalition, please click here: https://www.unacpeace.org/join.html

 Please click here to donate to UNAC

http://www.dcmediagroup.us/

Monica Moorehead & Lamont Lilly 2016

http://www.workersworldparty.org

Workers World Party is participating in the 2016 presidential election. Not because we believe the election means anything. We are running to expose the election.

The WWP candidates will be talking about the real issues facing workers and oppressed people—and organizing for the real solutions. Revolutionary solutions. We believe that the kind of socialism Bernie Sanders talks about only provides more cosmetic changes, a softer kinder of capitalism. But Sanders change means the capitalist system still stands.

Mass struggle, not elections, is the way forward.

The elections that take place every four years bring only cosmetic change: different faces administering the government on behalf of the same billionaire masters. Who really runs
society? It is the capitalist class that exploits the working class and the oppressed. The great mass of people have no real representation because the government, whether headed by Democrats or Republicans, exists to serve the interests of the bosses and warmakers.

The Workers World Moorehead-Lilly campaign declares: Elections will matter when Black Lives matter.

May Day March for Immigrant and Worker Rights / Marcha del 1ro de Mayo para los Derechos de lxs Trabajadorxs e Inmigrantxs