January News

I'm including NRCAT's info. The exciting part is that the mission is about to be expanded to include torture in US prisons, including solitary confinement. I'm very very pleased with this which was just made a few days ago by the board. I've been encouraging this path for a while.

Here are the January actions.

All my best to you,
Patti Muldoon

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear NRCAT Supporters:

Please join NRCAT and other organizations in urging Congress and the Obama Administration to move quickly in closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, a prominent symbol of our nation's use of torture.

January brings two important anniversaries that offer good opportunities for local organizing - January 11 and January 22.

Monday, January 11 - 8th Anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo

* Mark this day with an interfaith prayer service or candlelight vigil.
* Gather signatures on NRCAT's Guantanamo petition.

MLK Weekend (January 15-18) - Highlight Guantanamo during religious services

* Use NRCAT's interfaith prayer and bulletin insert during services.
* Gather petition signatures or signed letters after services.

Friday, January 22 - Anniversary of executive order calling for Guantanamo's closure

* Hand deliver petitions and signed letters to local congressional offices.
* Consider organizing a press conference with religious leaders immediately before or after delivering the petitions and letters.

All of these resources and an online registration form are
available here.
http://www.nrcat.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=392&Itemid=297

If you tell us what you're planning by registering online, we'll be able to send you updated information and resources, including a sample media advisory. And if we have a large enough response, we will be able to seek some national or regional media coverage, as we have done successfully for previous coordinated actions.

Thank you for all that you do to help end U.S.-sponsored torture forever.

Sincerely,

Linda Gustitus, President
Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director

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December 16, 2009

To: Participating Members
CC: Endorsing Members
Adjunct Members

Dear Friends:

After an extensive planning process beginning on June 4, 2009, NRCAT's Board of Directors at its December 10 meeting, voted to include two new areas in our work: ending torture in U.S. prisons and advocating for U.S. policies and practices that help end torture by other governments. You can read the papers that prepared the Board for its vote: Torture in U.S. prisons and U.S. policies ending torture.

This means that beginning in 2010, NRCAT will continue its mission to end U.S.-sponsored torture forever, but that mission will include not only ending the torture of detainees held after 9/11, but also ending the use of torture, mainly extreme isolation, in U.S. prisons, and advocating for U.S. policies and practices that help end torture by other governments.

There are several next steps:

* The PMC will discuss possible approaches to the two new areas when it meets on January 13.
* NRCAT will begin now to look for new funding for these areas.
* The NRCAT Board will discuss the scope and timing of our work in these areas in early January.

We ask for your thoughts and suggestions about the important work in all three areas. Please plan to join the call on January 13.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Linda Gustitus, President
Richard Killmer, Executive Director

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Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009
From: National Religious Campaign Against Torture <nrcatlist@nrcat.org>
To: pmmquaker@houserock.org
Subject: Ask the Attorney General to Release the OPR Report

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear Friends:

Please email Attorney General Holder today to ask him to release the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) report. The OPR report is believed to detail instances of professional misconduct by lawyers in the previous Administration's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Specifically, it is reported to demonstrate how lawyers in the OLC purposely misinterpreted the law in order to sanction torture and other abusive acts.

On Wednesday, Nov. 18th, Attorney General Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee that a career prosecutor was going to review the report but that he expected that that review would be completed and the report released by Nov. 30. As of December 14, the OPR report has not been released.

Please email the Attorney General's office to ask him to release the OPR report. A model email can be found here.

Thank you,

Linda Gustitus, President
Rev. Richard L. Killmer, Executive Director