Jericho Boston

2011-02-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Bail Hearing for Tarek Mehanna

A bail hearing has been scheduled for Dr. Tarek Mehanna who has been unjustly imprisoned under 23-hour solitary confinement for 15 months after refusing to be an FBI informant against his community. Dr. Mehanna is a well respected, loved and outspoken member of his community who has spent his time as a scholar, friend, teacher and leader.

Dr. Mehanna and his family have requested that you come to the courthouse on the day of the hearing to express your support and belief in his innocence. We ask that you help us to show the Judge why Dr. Mehanna should be released on bail. THIS HEARING IS THE MOST CRUCIAL ONE YET: this will be the first opportunity for Dr. Mehanna's lawyers to make a strong case for Dr. Mehanna's right to have bail set and be home with his family pending trial.

The date and time as follows:

Wednesday, February 23rd, arrive at 1pm
Moakley Federal Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Boston, MA

Please spread the word to others and show up as early as possible!! Because the hearing starts at 2, it is best to be there well before then.

This is a big opportunity for you to show your support for this man who has served his community and defended justice. It is crucial that we have as many supporters as possible show up to court. This is a real chance for Dr. Mehanna to be released on bail and we cannot stress enough how much your presence is needed!

A rally outside the courthouse will follow the hearing regardless of the outcome. We ask that you join us for the rally.

Let's make this a strong turnout! We have to show Dr. Mehanna, his family, the judge, the press and everyone else how much love and support he has! We want Dr. Mehanna back in our community where he belongs.

Thank you all for your support on behalf of Dr. Mehanna, his family, and the support committee.

*Reminder: Be prepared for the possibility that the government will change the date last minute. Remember to bring 2 forms of ID (at least one photo ID) and that no cell phones or another electronics will be allowed into the court. We also ask that you dress appropriately for the courtroom.*

2010-08-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

5K Run in Solidarity with Political Prisoners:
Support Leonard Peltier and Tarek Mehanna

WHEN: Saturday, September 18, 10:00 am RAIN OR SHINE!
WHERE: Jamaica Pond Boathouse (Jamaica Plain, MA)

Running Down the Walls came early this year (Saturday, 8/7)--thanks to all who attended in spite of late notice. Since many couldn't attend, we have decided to keep up our tradition in Boston and hold another 5K run at Jamaica Pond in September in honor of Leonard Peltier's 66th Birthday.

This year will be Leonard Peltier's 34th year in prison for defending the rights of his people. Our 5K run is one small opportunity to create visibility about Leonard's case and raise funds for his ongoing defense. More information at http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/ .

Proceeds from the run will be divided between the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (LPDOC) and the Tarek Mehanna support committee www.freetarek.com. Since Leonard's actual birthday (Sept. 12th) falls on the last day of Ramadan this year, we have decided to hold the run on the following weekend: Saturday, Sept. 18th.

We are suggesting a $15 donation to register for the run; participants are invited to gather pledges and donations to help support the event.

Jamaica Pond is located on the Jamaica Way in Jamaica Plain. The run will start at the Boathouse, near the intersection of Jamaica Way and Pond St. The closest T stations are Green St. on the Orange Line and Heath St. on the Green Line; the closest bus route is the 39. Please call Jericho Boston if you need more detailed directions.

Flyer available here.

JERICHO - BOSTON
(617)830-0732 - jerichoboston.org

2010-08-15T04:25:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Safiya Asya Bukhari, freedom fighter and former political prisoner

Please Join us for a short documentary about her life and work, and selected readings of her book, The War Before
Discussion to follow--Topics include:
* Resistance and Sacrifice
* Building and Sustaining Community
* Lessons Learned from Our Past Struggles

Saturday August 28, 2010
7:00-9:00pm
Lucy Parsons Center, 549 Columbus Ave.

Organized by Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and the Jericho Movement to Free All Political Prisoners

Flyer available here.

2010-04-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

2010-03-13T11:15:00.000-08:00

On Friday, March 12, members of the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee attempted for the second time to meet with a representative of the Massachusetts US Attorney's office. Again we were told to fill out a complaint form--there was no one at the office who could speak to us. We asked whether it was the explicit policy of the new US Attorney not to meet with concerned members of the public. The "Administrative Specialist" insisted that this was not the policy of the office, but couldn't explain why our calls, faxes and our formal complaint remained unanswered.

This time we left a written statement and directed the administrative assistant to bring it to the attention of the US Attorney. We were told, once again, that someone would contact us on Monday.

Many of us had thought that the former Massachusetts US Attorney Michael Sullivan had set a low water mark for unresponsiveness to community concerns. It seems that the new holder of the office, Carmen Ortiz, may lower the bar still further.

We are releasing our statement as an open letter to the new US Attorney.

=================

United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz
John Joseph Moakley
United States Federal Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way, Suite 9200
Boston, MA 02210

Friday, March 12, 2010

US Attorney Carmen Ortiz:

We are here representing the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee.

During the week of February 22 through February 26 we made numerous phone calls and sent faxes to Assistant Attorney Chakravarty to express strong community concerns in the case of Tarek Mehanna. Chakravarty appears to have dealt with these concerns by disabling his voicemail, routing calls to the voicemail of a secretary who never returned them. As you may have been informed, we sent a delegation to your office on Friday, February 26, to raise our concerns in person. We were instructed to fill out a complaint form with our contact information so that we could arrange an appointment with you. Since then, no one from your office has contacted us.

In our conversation with your administrative assistant, we expressed our belief that the unresponsiveness of your office to community concerns shows an arrogant contempt for the residents of Massachusetts. This contempt is especially egregious in light of the history of severe prosecutorial misconduct that has come to characterize the Massachusetts US Attorney's office from the time of Sullivan's leadership.

We are here again to demand that you take our concerns seriously.

We believe that Tarek Mehanna is the victim of FBI retaliation and severe institutional abuse of power because of his refusal to act as an informant for the FBI--a refusal that lies fully within his constitutionally protected rights. The FBI explicitly threatened Mr. Mehanna with this retaliation, saying that they would make his life a "living hell," by using false allegations of "terrorism" unless he agreed to act as an informant within the Muslim community.

These FBI threats and the decision of the US Attorney's office to carry them out are reminiscent of the criminal collaboration between Assistant US Attorney Jeffrey Auerhahn--also responsible for Mr. Mehanna's prosecution--and FBI Special Agent Michael Buckley, documented in the case Ferrara v. US.

Auerhahn's record of conduct would merit not merely disbarment, but criminal sanctions. These practices include:

*Coercing a witness into giving false testimony (suborning perjury);

*Falsifying evidence;

*Withholding exculpatory evidence from defense;

*Lying before the court (perjury).

US Attorney Michael Sullivan's failure to sanction Auerhahn for these practices in any meaningful way speaks of complicity in this criminal misconduct at the highest level of the Massachusetts office. As the allegations against Auerhahn came to light, rather than suspending Auerhahn, Sullivan transferred him from the Racketeering Unit to the Anti-Terrorism Unit, where he has continued in the same practices against another set of victims.

The criminal collaboration between Auerhahn and FBI agent Buckley requires that your office not only take action against Auerhahn, but reconsider those pending cases in which Auerhahn has been involved.

We believe that Tarek Mehanna is another innocent victim of illegal practices on the part of the FBI and the US Attorney's office. We strongly urge you, as the new leader of the Massachusetts US Attorney's Office, to break with this atrocious history.

Sincerely,

The Tarek Mehanna Support Committee

======================

For more information about Tarek Mehanna and the campaign for his release, see www.freetarek.com

2010-02-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

SPOTLIGHT ON REPRESSION

A Fundraiser for the Jericho Movement to Free ALL Political Prisoners

The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, 2010

6-9:00PM

Doors open at 5:30

SPONTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS

45 DANFORTH STREET, JAMAICA PLAIN, MA

(Stonybrook stop on the Orange Line)

UPDATES ON POLITICAL PRISONERS LEONARD PELTIER, OSO BLANCO, MUMIA ABU JAMAL

KEYNOTE BY BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR CHUCK TURNER

Updates by Ashanti Alston - Jericho Movement to Free ALL Political Prisoners, Andrea Hornbein - Decarcerate,
Russell Peters - Mashpee Wampanoag

Refreshments, petitions and cards for/to the prisoners, photo op for LPDOC
"Zoom In" campaign for executive review, and more!

Download a flyer here.

Presented by Jericho Boston

Information: jericho_boston@yahoo.com

www.jerichoboston.org

www.osoblanco.org www.whoisleonardpeltier.info www.freemumia.com

2010-02-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

A Black History Month Salute to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui

featuring

El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan

Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, 2010
7:00 PM
Lewis Room
Cambridge Public Library, Central Square
45 Pearl St, Cambridge
accessible by bus and red line, central sq stop, wheelchair accessible
This event is free.

On March 30th, 2003, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her 3 children, ages 7 mo. to 7 yrs. at the time, were disappeared from Pakistan. Her 2 youngest children are still missing, and she and her oldest son were handed over to the U.S. and secretly imprisoned in Afghanistan for 5 years. Since 2003, sister Aafia has been caged in solitary confinement, shot, and severely abused. She was then falsely accused of attempting to murder US interrogators in 2008. After being moved to NYC for trial, she was convicted with no evidence on February 3rd, 2010.

El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan will discuss the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and our primary focus in the struggle ahead.

Mauri' Saalakhan is a Metropolitan Washington, DC, based human rights advocate. He presently serves as Director of Operations for The Peace And Justice Foundation; a Muslim-led, grassroots human rights organization. He is also the author of several books: The Teacher, a work of Islamically-based poetry and commentary on a myriad of social and political issues; Why Our Children Are Killing Themselves, an examination of the root causes behind the crises facing children, youth and families in America; Criminal Justice in America, an examination of the U.S. Criminal Justice System and its impact on the African American community; Islam & Terrorism: Myth vs. Reality, and many others.

*** An excerpt from the film "In Search of Prisoner 650" co-produced by journalist Yvonne Ridley and filmmaker Hassan al Banna Ghani will be shown***

Refreshments will be served.

Please join us!

To download a flyer for this event, click here.

**The Cambridge Public Library is not a sponsor of this event.

2009-12-05T06:57:00.000-08:00

Defending Our Communities from Federal Repression

Thursday, Dec 10th at 6:30pm
Lewis Room, Cambridge Public Library
45 Pearl St. Central Sq, Cambridge

What do you do when the FBI comes knocking at your door? Do you know what your rights are and how to assert them?

Join us for a discussion of federal repression in the Muslim and Arab communities, with a focus on the case of Tariq Mehanna.

Panelists will also discuss the history of repression against the Black Liberation and Puerto Rican independence movements, highlighting strategies of self defense that have worked in the past.

This event will include video excerpts with legal information on how to protect yourself, your family, and your community.

**Co-sponsored by the Free Tariq Committee and Jericho Boston**

*The Cambridge Public Library is not a sponsor of this event.*

2009-09-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Running Down the Walls

5K Run in Solidarity with Political Prisoners

WHEN: Saturday, September 12, 10:00 am

WHERE: Jamaica Pond Boathouse (Jamaica Plain, MA)

On Saturday, September 12, people across the country--both inside and outside of prison--will be running to call attention to the plight of political prisoners and prisoners of war held captive by the US government. This will be the 8th annual Running Down the Walls event organized by the Anarchist Black Cross Federation of Los Angeles, with solidarity runs in other cities, and the 4th annual run held here in Boston. Our yearly 5K is a non-competitive run, walk, or roll, held to raise awareness and to raise needed funds.

This year, Running Down the Walls will take place on Leonard Peltier's 65th birthday, his 33rd year in prison for defending the rights of his people. Because Leonard was recently denied parole--and given a 15 year hit until his next possible hearing--solidarity actions on his behalf will be held in DC and across the country on the same day (more information at http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/ ).

**Members of the Mashpee Wampanoag community will be holding a drum circle in honor of Leonard as part of the event.**

Proceeds from this year's annual 5K run will be divided between the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (LPDOC) and Ojore N. Lutalo, a New Afrikan anarchist prisoner of war who has just been released.

We are suggesting a $15 donation to register for the run; participants are invited to gather pledges and donations to help support the event.

Jamaica Pond is located on the Jamaica Way in Jamaica Plain. The run will start at the Boathouse, near the intersection of Jamaica Way and Pond St. The closest T stations are Green St. on the Orange Line and Heath St. on the Green Line; the closest bus route is the 39. Please call Jericho Boston if you need more detailed directions.

A flyer for the event is available here.

JERICHO - BOSTON
P.O. Box 301057, Boston, MA 02130 - (617)830-0732 - jerichoboston.org

How You Can Help

2009-09-03T17:29:00.002-07:00

Keep in touch and stay informed. Subscribe to our low volume, announcement listserv. We will let you know about current campaigns in support of progressive activists imprisoned by the U.S. and those who have been forced into exile, locked up or come under attack because they struggled for the liberation of oppressed peoples, for a just world, and to save our planet.

Sometimes the state seems all powerful. However, we should never lose sight of what we can win when we work together.

The Puerto Rican people have worked hard to generate the political and moral pressure necessary to free two generations of political prisoners from U.S. prisons. In 1979, Irving Flores Rodriguez, Lolita Lebron, and Rafael Cancel-Miranda were freed after spending 25 years in prison for struggling to end U.S. colonial rule of Puerto Rico. In September 1999, eleven younger independentistas were freed after almost twenty years in prison.

Today New Afrikan activist and former political prisoner Assata Shakur lives freely in Cuba despite the efforts of some within the U.S. to have her killed or imprisoned.

We celebrate the release of Linda Evans in Jan. 2001, Black Panther Robert "King" Wilkerson in Feb. 2001, Juan Segarra Palmer's release to Puerto Rico in January 2004, and the eleven Puerto Rican independentistas in Sept. 1999. Yet we know that close to 100 women and men remain in U.S. prisons because they have dared to struggle for the liberation of oppressed peoples.

When we support these political prisoners we defend our own right to struggle for justice. This is especially crucial since the passage of the "USA-Patriot Act" and other unconstitutional assaults on dissent in the name of the "war on terror."

"Love of people and belief in life lead us to resist imperialism, always striving to find the methods that are most effective and most consistent with our underlying humanism. An important way to reaffirm the history of struggle and to contribute to the spirit and energy of today's movements is to never forget, and to actively support, political prisoners around the world."

David Gilbert

anti-imperialist political prisoner

statement for International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners

12/3/05:

Contact

2009-09-03T17:29:00.001-07:00

We can be reached by both e-mail and by post at the following addresses:

jericho_boston (at) yahoo.com

Jericho Boston

P.O. Box 301057

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

To subscribe to our announcement e-mail list, please click here.

Boston Chapter

2009-09-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Here in Massachusetts we are trying to build our local chapter of the Jericho Movement. We will continue our work to free those activists imprisoned for political reasons.

In April 2004, we held a working conference at UMass Boston entitled "Set the Captives Free." The working conference began with an evening of cultural edutainment with special musical guests Dead Prez, The Foundation, VCR, Blackout Boston, Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo, FTP, Reflect & Strengthen, Curtis King, Simon & Wagner, and PRESENTE! on April 16, 2004. The following day we held workshops on Political Prisoners, Prisoners of War, and Racially Profiled Detainees in the U.S with Pam Africa (MOVE), Jean Day (AIM), Fred Hampton Jr.(former political prisoner), Linda Evans(former political prisoner), Russell Shoats Jr., Netdahe Williams, Rod Coronado(former political prisoner, animal rights activist), Mike Duan (South Asian Coalition,) Rawan Barakat(New England Committee to Defend Palestine), Lourdes Lugo (National Boricua Human Rights Network), Attorney Soffiyah Elijah, Attorney Nancy Murray (ACLU, NLG), and Nalda Vigezzi (Cuban 5 Coalition).

In May 2005, we held a second working conference and concert at the historic Strand Theater in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Speakers and performers included Dead Prez, The Last Poets, Attorney Lynne Stewart, Dhoruba Al Mujahid Bin Wahad (former political prisoner and Panther 21 defendant), Alicia RodrÃ guez (Puerto Rican Independentista and former political prisoner), Rafael Cancel Miranda (Puerto Rican Independentista and former political prisoner), Kazi Toure (former political prisoner), Queen Godis, Boston City Councilors Felix Arroyo and Chuck Turner, The Foundation, Nasim Abdul Malik, Reflect and Strengthen, PRESENTE, Russell Shoats Jr., Netdahe Williams, and Rick Laaman. Throughout the year we also organize film screenings, discussions, demonstrations, celebrations and other events in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester and elsewhere.

We also have traveled to Philly, New York, and other places to participate in other events.

If you live in the Boston area and you would like to join us in our work in support of the political prisoners please get in touch:

jericho_boston (at) yahoo.com

Jericho Boston

P.O. Box 301057

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

About Jericho Boston

2009-09-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

This is the website for the New England chapter of the Jericho Movement, an international movement to free those progressive activists held by the government of the United States because of their actions, beliefs or affiliations.

This movement grew out of a call put out in the fall of 1996 by New Afrikan political prisoner Jalil Muntaquim and former New Afrikan political prisoners Herman Ferguson and Safiya Bukhari. As Sister Safiya frequently reminded us during her lifetime, 'soldiers get captured...they do time...then they pick up the work.' If those behind bars, and those who have spent years locked up before being released can continue the work, can we do any less? Thousands of activists responded to their call, and came to Washington DC on March 27th 1998 for demonstrations aimed at exposing the fact that there are political prisoners in the U.S. and to call for their release. They marched from Malcolm X Park to the White House, circled it and then listened to speakers from a wide spectrum of radical organizations. Geronimo Ji Jaga, a former Black Panther imprisoned by the U.S. government for 27 years, told the crowd, "This is a dream come true for many brothers and sisters who are behind those walls, who for years have struggled to try and get the message out to everyone that this country does in fact have political prisoners and prisoners of war." There was also a rally of several hundred in Oakland, California and one in Los Angeles as well. Two hundred students walked out of their classes at Berkeley High and marched almost ten miles to join the Oakland rally.

Today, the Jericho Movement works toward these same goals...

Jericho Boston Blog

2009-09-03T16:10:00.001-07:00

Jericho Boston is transitioning it's website into a blog in order keep the people better informed about the movement to free all political prisoners and prisoners of war.