Events - Manifestaciones - Veranstaltungen

"We Are Family!"

Colby College, Waterville, Maine, U.S.A.

2010 Oak Fellowship: Incarceration and Human Rights

Nomination Due:
Nov. 1, 2009

Application Due:
Dec. 15, 2009

Decision Announced:
Apr. 15, 2010

Fellowship Begins:
August 2010

Letter from Professor Patrice Franko to IIPPI (pdf, 2 pages)
August 28, 2009

"The Oak Institute for the Study of International Human Rights at Colby College is pleased to announce a call for applications for the 2010 Oak Fellowship. We seek front-line human rights activists working outside of the U.S. and advocating for those incarcerated. Areas of work for prisoners’ rights include, but are not limited to living standards and health care in prisons, pretrial detention, illegal imprisonment, detained non-citizens, the right of legal representation, juvenile detention, education and practical training for inmates, post-detention rehabilitation, families of inmates, disciplinary procedures, prison privatization, gender and racial discrimination in incarceration, political prisoners, prisoners of war, torture, sexual abuse, brutality, and the death penalty.

The 2010 fellowship will offer a semester in residence at Colby, giving respite from front-line human rights work, a $32,000 stipend, plus medical insurance, transportation, housing and utilities."
Further info at www.colby.edu/oak

neue TV Serie: "Unschuldig - Für die Wahrheit ist es nie zu spät"

(new TV serial: "Innocent - It's never too late for the truth")

ab dem 23.4.2008 mittwochs um 20:15 Uhr auf ProSieben

(as of April 23, 2008, on Wednesdays, at 8:15 P.M., on ProSieben)

RE: Danke für den Link [zu IIPPI]

Sehr geehrte Frau Pumm,

Vielen Dank für Ihre freundliche Mail.

Uns ist natürlich bewußt, dass unsere Serie als Fiktion sich mit einem Thema auseinandersetzt, für dessen reale Umsetzung Sie sich ehrenamtlich einsetzen. Deswegen ist es uns wichtig, dass wir- sei es auch nur durch einen Link- auf eine Organisation wie die Ihre aufmerksam machen können, damit Sie vielleicht real von der Aufmerksamkeit profitieren können, die einer Fiktion wie der unseren zukommt.

Mit freundlichem Gruß

Zimmermann
"Unschuldig"-Team

Dr. Sebastian Krüger (Erhan Emre), Dr. Anna Winter (Alexandra Neldel), Ex-Cop Marco Lorenz (Clemens Schick)

Dr. Anna Winter (Alexandra Neldel), Dr. Sebastian Krüger (Erhan Emre)

RE: Thank you for the link [to IIPPI]

Dear Ms Pumm,

Thank you for your kind email.

Naturally, we are aware that our serial as fiction goes into an issue that you voluntarily speak up for. Thus, it is important that we can draw the attention - and if it is just through a link - to an organization like yours, and that you may profit from the attention a fiction like ours gets.

Yours sincerely,

Zimmermann
"Unschuldig"-Team

If you missed "Unschuldig" last Wednesday, you can download the most recent sequel at http://www.prosieben.de/spielfilm_serie/unschuldig/ by clicking on "Folge ansehen".
http://www.kanzlei-anna-winter.de

Omar M. R. Bandar's 50 Day European Tour's Project

February 11, 2008 - March 31, 2008

Project Summary:
A European tour of governmental and non-governmental organizations that operate in the criminal justice and human/prisoners' rights fields, both within their own country and/or internationally. During this tour I intend to meet with representatives of the following organizations:

Penal Reform International - London, UK
Friends World Committee for Consultation, Quaker Prison Ministry Programme - London, UK
Howard League for Penal Reform - London, UK
Prison Reform Trust - London, UK
Prison Fellowship England and Wales - Maldon, UK
Prison Health Care Practitioners - Buckinghamshire, UK
Scottish Prison Service - Edinburgh, Scotland
Prison Fellowship Norge - Sarpsborg, Norway
European Prison Education Association - Tallinn, Estonia
European Prison Education Association - Daugavpils, Latvia
Penal Reform International - Bucharest, Romania
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - Vienna, Austria
UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute - Turin, Italy

The Quaker United Nations Office - Geneva, Switzerland

Defence for Children International - Geneva, Switzerland

Association for the Prevention of Torture - Geneva, Switzerland

Prison Fellowship International, European Office - Lausanne, Switzerland

Max-Planck-Institute - Freiburg, Germany

Prisma - Prison Fellowship International - Leonberg, Germany

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture - Strasbourg, France

Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe - Strasbourg, France

Innocent In Prison Project International - Moisburg, Germany

Prison Watch - Maarssen, The Netherlands

For further information go to Mr. Bandar's website, please! www.omarbandar.com/default.aspx

Juan Melendez Tour Across Germany
co-project of:
*Initiative gegen die Todesstrafe e.V. (GCADP)* *ALIVE - Koalition gegen die Todesstrafe e.V.* *Amnesty International* and *Innocent In Prison Project International*

Voices of Celebrities, Activists and the Press

Juan Melendez spent 17 years, eight months and one day on Florida's death row for a murder he did not commit. He was exonerated in 2002. He wanted to commit suicide many times.

"I tell them [the audience] about the suffering on death row and the problems with the death penalty in the United States. I tell them to get involved in writing lawmakers, governors and the president of the United States, so they know that it's wrong to kill."

Juan Melendez was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but raised in Puerto Rico. He has moved back to the Caribbean island and continues to campaign against the injustice he suffered.

www.voicesunited4justice.com
www.juan-melendez-tour.de

1-26-2006
Munich

1-27-2006
Karlsruhe

1-28-2006
Lindau

1-29-2006
Tuttlingen

2-1-2006
Bad Bergentheim

2-2-2006
Landau

2-3-2006
Bonn

2-5-2006
Bochum

2-6-2006
Soest

2-7-2006
Osnabrueck

2-8-2006
Hamburg

2-13-2006
Berlin

Click on the banner (www.journeyforjustice.org) for pictures and much more!

On Sunday, August 14th, 2005 the Washington Post stated that "ACTIVISTS RALLY TO REVISE PRISON POLICIES - 100 People Shrug Off Heat at Lafayette Square Protest". Some activists estimate around 1200 people gathered on August 13th. My personal impression is that we may have been 700 people, but we probably will never know the exact number. Whatever the factual number, 5000 people had registered and planned on coming to D.C. First we were disappointed and waiting for the thousands of people who never showed up, but there is definetely nobody who regrets to having been there.

A few minutes past 9:00 AM David Losa crossed the finishing line in the Lafayette Park cycling all the 3000 miles from Santa Barbara,California to the capital. The relatively small crowd of prison activists broke into loud applause. Many people across the country saw and heard his message. California's three strike policy needs to change. California law mandates a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years for third-time felons convicted of two "violent" offenses. Losa's brother is said to be one of many, who is to serve decades in prison. Losa said, "I'm not against locking up people for murders, rapes, child molestations, but let's just save the prison space for those people, not drug users and petty shoplifters. Let the time fit the crime."

"We've represented dozens of people sentenced to life in prison without parole for stealing a bicycle, writing a bad check or simple possession of marijuana. And it's that kind of sentencing policy that has resulted in the prison population growing from 200,000 to 2 million in the last 30 years," said Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer with the Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama and the group's executive director.

Roberta Franklin, the initiator and lead organizer of the "Journey For Justice" (March On Washington DC) said, she mortgaged her home to pay for the rally. I just wish, more people had attended the event.
None of those large organizations that raise millions of dollar, were present and one of us. I asked Roberta, if Rev. Jesse Jackson had not wanted to speak that day, too. You know, what she replied?! He would have spoken, if he had gotten US$ 10.000,00!! I said, "What?! What for?!" She smiled bitterly and responded, "He wanted US$ 10.000,00 just for him to speak."

There were many wonderful people and excellent speakers attending the event. Some speeches were very touching and moving. I would have welcomed, if we had had more time available to get to know each other that day. Maybe next time. They were people who stood up for what is right and just, because they are convinced they are doing the right thing, plus they feel simply good about it. Nobody of us was asking for dollars to speak or just attend the event, and the fewest organizations as for instance IIPPI contributed to the event beforehand financially. Once again many thanks to Michael L. Burts, Sr. for his donation. Nobody seems to question what those large organizations are doing with their funds, and we are talking about really much money here.

Everything was peaceful. Nontheless, law enforcement from several jurisdictions (DC Police, federal agents, even S.W.A.T.) tried to shut down our meeting around 11:00 AM. Freedom of speech, a constitutional right, was drastically limited. Banners and posters had to disappear. Only small stuff in our hands as for instance flyers and business cards were permitted. If you were spreading flyers in front of you on the floor, you violated the "rules" and risked the immediate end of the event. Foto and video cameras saved what aggressive law enforcement can look like. There were three film companies at the march who are making documentaries and including this event in their documentary.

There will be another "Journey For Justice" ("J4J") next year. Then it might take place somewhere at the Gulf of Mexico. "'J4J' is a concept" as Sherry Swiney said so well. "This concept belongs to all of us. All organizations, large and small, that are working towards justice should network with Journey For Justice. Think about the power of the "J4J" when we all stand together with one voice on any topic regarding liberty and freedom. No single organization can do it all. No organization is all-powerful or all-important. We are all in the same sinking boat and IF it sinks, we all go down with it." At 2:00 PM the event was officially over, and people were kind of rushing away.

Katja Pumm

[Houston, TX]

The Eagle Speaks Spring Conference
March 19, 2005
Austin, Texas

Linda G.

Dwight

Michael+Katja

Cheri

~MINUTES OF THE EAGLE SPEAKS CONFERENCE MEETING~

All old members and many new members all gathered at Tres Amigos in Austin, Texas for fellowship, food and an informative meeting. Guest speakers for the day were, Katja Pumm coming to us all the way from Hamburg, Germany and representing the Innocent In Prison Project International (IIPPI), Dwight Rawlinson from Waco representing the Texas Prison Labor Union (TPLU) and our fearless leader, Linda G. Gonzalez representing Broken Chains, Jailbird Sings, The Eagle Speaks and Texas Pen Pals Wanted. Our meeting began at 1 PM and ended shortly after 7 PM.

First, we had a wonderful time of fellowship when everyone could meet everyone else. It is always great to finally put a face to that email address we see popping up on our website. It is equally as wonderful to meet with old friends once again. We all have a common denominator to face; the ongoing battles with TDCJ and the issues that face all of us on a daily basis.

Those 'old' members attending were Linda G., Laura, Laura Ann, Toni, Shelly, Michael, Dwight and me (Cheri.) The NEW members and visitors attending were Jensey, Vanessa, Leonard, Susan, David, Diana, Christine, Les and Bessie.

Of course, our honored speaker and friend, Katja Pumm was in attendance with her winning smile and contagious energy.

Linda spent time going over the beginning of Broken Chains and the formation of the other groups that make us what we are. We now have over 200 inmates listed on the Texas Pen Pals Wanted website and over 300 members showing on the Jailbird Sings website. It seems that we are adding members on a daily basis and this is exciting for all of us.

Dwight Rawlinson shared about the upcoming work regarding the Texas Court of Appeals and the 'rubber stamping' of cases presented to them. There will be an upcoming survey done on the Texas Courts of Criminal Appeals. Dwight gave a brief description of the TPLU and the work that it is doing. He gave handouts titles New Study Cites Prosecutor's Misconduct, Court Rules Federal Sentence Guidelines Aren't Mandatory and State May Support Innocence Inquiries (By Max B. Baker, Fort Worth Star Telegram December 5, 2004 archives.)

Katja Pumm gave us a brief overview of how the Innocent In Prison Project began and what the goals are of the organization. She shared the new technology on Brain Fingerprint Testing which has been used successfully in Idaho. To read more about the program please go to www.iippi.org. For those familiar with innocent programs, often the case hinges on DNA but we now know that there is not always DNA to work with. The Brain Fingerprint Testing could prove to be a very useful tool as it gains momentum and becomes accepted throughout the United States in the future. Katja is small of stature but mighty in her determination to prove the justice system wrong when sending an innocent person to prison.

Linda then did a presentation of making a Parole Packet using the information that can be found on the Broken Chains website.

Toni shared that she and Shelley are waiting on authorization from TDCJ to become vendors. (This has since been authorized!!) Their website is www.inmatepaper.com and will feature envelopes, writing tablets, etc for our loved ones. We can buy smaller amounts of supplies through them for a reasonable price. Toni indicated that the new rules at TDCJ will include one (1) hour for the inmates to write their TDCJ number on every envelope or piece of paper. If they don't finish within an hour they cannot have what doesn't have their TDCJ number on it. So, by sending them smaller quantities we can be assured they get everything. Toni also indicated they are going to try and figure a way that the TDCJ number could be imprinted. Toni and Shelley will keep us posted on progress. PLEASE, let's all support them in this business venture and keep the money in the "family."

Katja, Toni, Linda + Shelley

In closing, old friendships were once again sealed and new friendships were forged. We are a mighty force when gathered to protect those we love... those who the system continues to control and the injustices that we see on a day to day basis. I sincerely hope we can all meet again at our next meeting in the fall.

Respectfully submitted,
Cheri Lincoln
Secretary~Brokenchains.us

Helga Dill (TX Cure), originally from Germany, has been in the USA since 1962. She was not able to attend the conference in person, but Helga and Katja were speaking with another on the cell phone during the conference.

The most emotional moment on this day was, when a mother introduced herself to the rest of us. She did not say much for a very understandable reason, but what she said and the way how her heart let those few words flow out of her mouth spoke for itself:

"My name is Diana and my son is on death row."
...Suddenly our eyes were filled with tears...and we may have felt the pain for a very short moment that capital punishment causes to so many people. A mother gave birth to her child and the state, you are a part of, wants to lynch this child under cover of law. In this case the death row inmate can prove his innocence, but will he be heard, released and exonerated one day?! You be the judge!!