Washington State Religious Campaign Against Torture (WSRCAT), along with other justice organizations, organized 3 special events, coordinated with the expected ACLU lawsuit against “torture psychologists” Mitchell and Jessen. Although the defendants, torture victims and family of a torture victim who died due to his torture, settled the case out of court, the case drew attention to CIA torture of prisoners, and was a step toward accountability for torture.
As Rob Crawford, facilitator of WSRCAT said, “These events contributed to our principal goals of continuing to confront the violence of torture, the violent rhetoric of torture along with the language and acts of violence coming from the president, his administration, and populist-militarist right-wing movements and media.”
HERE ARE SOME LINKS to what occurred at the 3 WSRCAT events, plus a radio panel about opposing torture.
Sept. 5, 2017, Roundtable Discussion on THE ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL IMPLICATIONS OF TORTURE on KYRS Thin Air Community Radio (Spokane) with speakers Liz Moore and Audrey Burr of Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane (PJALS), Rob Crawford of WSRCAT, and Karen Dorn Steele, retired investigative reporter with the Spokesman Review. Audio file at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1eAsaissWQ0OGNpS3JsTWE0R0U/view
“THE MORAL AND POLITICAL OBLIGATION TO RESIST TORTURE” – at UW Seattle - September 26, 2017, featured WSRCAT coordinator Rob Crawford, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, Professor Lisa Hajjar, Ron Stief of National Religious Campaign Against Torture, former Rep. Jim McDermott, and Liezl Rebugio of the ACLU.
Video of the event is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDdRGea3Akw (thanks to videographer Mike McCormick)
An hour’s portion of this event will air on Mike’s Mind Over Matters radio show Sunday October 8, 2017, 7-8 am, on KEXP 90.3 FM Seattle & http://www.kexp.org. This will be available at the website 2 weeks thereafter.
Text of the talk by Rob Crawford is at http://www.wsrcat.org/resistancecrawford.doc
“WHY TORTURE IS WRONG” – in Spokane WA September 9, 2017, featured Keynote Speaker: Curt Goering, Center For Victims Of Torture, and Commentator: Reverend Rich Lang.
Text of their talks can be read at https://www.cvt.org/blog/healing-and-human-rights/why-torture-wrong-0 and http://www.wsrcat.org/richlang.html
"THE LEGAL OBLIGATION TO PREVENT AND PROSECUTE TORTURE" in Spokane WA took place on Sept. 6, 2017, featured Keynote Speaker JUAN E. MENDEZ, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (2010-2016); Commentators: LISA HAJJAR, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara, on “The politics of accountability for torture.” and UPENDRA ACHARYA, Associate Professor, Gonzaga University Law School on “The geographic scope of the Convention against Torture as a legal matter.”
Video of this event is at: http://kaltura.com/tiny/dtojb
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Friday, June 23, 2017
US resuming torture? Act to stop it.
President Obama tried to end US torture; now the US appears to be reversing that policy, using surrogate torturers. Please read the message below and take action by contacting your 2 Senators and your Representative in Congress. Phone numbers for the WA state delegation are at the end
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: a WSRCAT activist
Subject: Urgent action - US complicit in torture in Yemen
In a major story, the Associated Press has reported that US officials are interrogating prisoners subjected to torture by United Arab Emirates officials in Yemen. Here is the article.
From: a WSRCAT activist
Subject: Urgent action - US complicit in torture in Yemen
I urge everyone to call their US senators and representative about this issue. Say something like: "The AP has reported that US officials are interrogating prisoners subjected to torture in Yemen. Please demand an immediate end to this practice."
The switchboard is 1-202-224-3121. A menu routes you to your senator or representative.
I left messages with Senators Cantwell and Murray and Representative Jayapal. The staff person at Pramila Jayapal's office seemed very interested, said this was the first he'd heard about this, and promised he would inform Representative Jayapal.
This makes me think that we need to send as many calls as possible.
=======================
MORE PHONE NUMBERS FOR OUR SENATORS AND REPS
See also the League of Women Voters pamphlet "They Represent You" at http://www.seattlelwv.org/
Senator Patty Murray 202-224-2621 toll free: 866-481-9186
Senator Maria Cantwell 202-224-3441
1st DISTRICT NE King, Eastern Snohomish, Eastern Skagit, and most of Whatcom County
Rep. Suzan DelBene 202-225-6311
2nd DISTRICT Bellingham and Island, San Juan, Western Skagit and Western Snohomish County
Rep. Rick Larsen 202-225-2605
3rd DISTRICT Southern Thurston County to Oregon border Klickitat County and west to ocean
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler 202-225-3536
4th DISTRICT Central Washington
Rep. Dan Newhouse 202-225-5816
5th DISTRICT Eastern Washington
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers 202-225-2006
6th DISTRICT Olympic Peninsula, Kitsap, & Northern Pacific County
Rep. Derek Kilmer 202-225-5916
7th DISTRICT Edmonds, Vashon Island & most of Seattle
Rep. Pramila Jayapal 202-225-3106
8th DISTRICT Sammamish to Auburn and SE King, Eastern Pierce, Chelan and Kittitas Counties
Rep. Dave Reichert 202-225-7761
9th DISTRICT Southeast Seattle, Redmond to Kent, Burien to Tacoma
Rep. Adam Smith 202-225-8901
10th DISTRICT Most of Thurston and Western Pierce County
Rep. Denny Heck 202-225-9740
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Petition about a Case of Fatal Torture in a US Prison
WSRCAT has long taken a stand against torture in prisons, including that of prolonged solitary confinement. Below is a link about shocking case of fatal torture in a US prison (5 years ago, no accountability). The text below was offered by the petition presenters as a way to spread the news of this petition. Please consider signing the petition and also passing along the information.
You might also like to check out WSRCAT's homepage http://wsrcat.org/ and see some recent updates; please return soon as we are in the process of adding more updates.
==============================
Dear Friends,
I just signed the campaign: Was Darren Rainey Tortured and Killed by Prison Guards at Dade Correctional Institution in Florida?
I ask you to add your name to this important issue. Every name that is added builds momentum around the campaign and makes it more likely for us to get the change we want to see.
Will you join me by taking action on this campaign?
After you've signed the petition please also take a moment to share it with others. It is quick and easy – all you need to do is forward this email.
Thank you!
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