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News :: Civil Liberties & Human Rights |
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Billboards going up, lawsuit filed, David Hicks home by Christmas? |
Current rating: 0 |
by GetUp!
(No verified email address) |
08 Dec 2006
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Finally, this Saturday December 9, you can join thousands of Australians nationwide to mark the fifth year of David's detention without trial. Peaceful protests are being coordinated by a coalition of action and human rights groups including Fair Go for David and Amnesty International, with key speakers at each event including Major Mori in Melbourne. Order your own Bring David Hicks Home sign and check out the details of a gathering near you. |
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Dear friends,
Bet you didn't know you had it in you, but together GetUp members have raised over $150,000 in average donations of $50 each, to put the message to our Federal Government ministers that it's time to bring David Hicks home. Congratulations and thank you to every person who's chipped in to make our voices heard.
This week, our first prime site became available and with your donations we put up a massive, back-lit billboard on the approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Over 43,000 motor vehicles drive past it every day according to the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority. If you don't live in Sydney or the billboard photos haven't come through in your email, you can still check out the pictures on our website.
Of course, this is just the beginning: carbon-neutral mobile billboards are currently in production and will be hitting the streets soon, and more sites are being reserved in prominent locations as soon as they become available. But GetUp has also come up against a surprise dose of corporate cold feet in the last two weeks, with some companies refusing to approve any kind of political message. Thankfully, you don't have to wait any longer to see a message for justice near you - you can order your own Bring David Hicks Home sign from GetUp free, right now. They are weather proof and great for roofs, fences and windows.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/BillboardsForJustice
You've done so much to turn the tide in this case - and now Liberal backbenchers and our own Courts are stepping up in a big way. Four Coalition MPs spoke up in the party room this week to demand David Hicks be brought home and placed under a control order, arguing he will never be given a fair trial in Guantanamo Bay. In fact, the Federal Government is now being sued by David's Australian legal team for refusing to give proper assistance to an Australian citizen abroad - with the Federal Court set to hear the urgent case next Friday, December 15.
Finally, this Saturday December 9, you can join thousands of Australians nationwide to mark the fifth year of David's detention without trial. Peaceful protests are being coordinated by a coalition of action and human rights groups including Fair Go for David and Amnesty International, with key speakers at each event including Major Mori in Melbourne. Order your own Bring David Hicks Home sign and check out the details of a gathering near you.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/BillboardsForJustice
Thank you for taking action,
The GetUp team
PS: Great news! GetUp was shortlisted for the Human Rights Commission Human Rights Award today. Congratulations go to the Edmund Rice Centre for being awarded the honours. |
This work is in the public domain |
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Judges join protest against Hicks's detention |
by Marlene
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
08 Dec 2006
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Victorian judges have joined a public protest in Melbourne against the detention of David Hicks.
Today marks the fifth anniversary of Mr Hicks's detention at Guantanamo Bay.
Former Victorian attorney-general Jim Kennan SC told the crowd Mr Hicks had been denied one of the fundamental tenants of law - the presumption of innocence.
Meanwhile Prime Minister John Howard says he is hopeful charges will be brought Mr Hicks by US authorities in the New Year.
Mr Howard says Australia has been pressing for a commitment that the Guantanamo Bay inmate will go before a newly convened military commission in the next few months.
He told Southern Cross radio that the Defence Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister will again raise the issue when they visit the US in the next few days.
"We are very hopeful that there will be formal charges brought against him early in the new year," he said.
"Five years is a long time and we want him tried under the new rules established after the Supreme Court decision."
Mr Hicks, originally from Adelaide, has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2002.
The convert to Islam was captured in Afghanistan where he allegedly fought alongside the ruling Taliban against US-led forces who invaded after the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
The US charged him with conspiracy, attempted murder by an unprivileged belligerent and aiding the enemy.
But the charges were dropped earlier this year after the US Supreme Court ruled it was unlawful for the US military commission to try Mr Hicks.
Bring David home now!
SATURDAY DEC. 9
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
*Sydney: SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
12 NOON @ SYDNEY TOWN HALL
*Adelaide: SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
11am VICTORIA SQUARE
*Melbourne: SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
2pm FEDERATION SQUARE
*Perth: SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
12 NOON PICA (Vigil starting Friday 8 Dec. from 1pm till noon on Dec. 9 @ WESLEY UNITING CHURCH)
*Brisbane: SATURDAY DECEMBER 9
2pm QUEEN'S PARK (Cnr George & Elizabeth Sts.)
* Canberra: Saturday Dec. 9, contact Amnesty
Endorsed by: Terry Hicks, Fair Go for David, Stop the War Coalition Sydney, Civil Rights Defence Melbourne, Liberty Victoria, Justice Action, Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network (AMCRAN), Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group, Justice for Hicks & Habib, CFMEU, NTEU, Islamic Friendship Association, Amnesty International Australia, Peace Convergence, Pennant Hills Peace Group, Western Sydney Peace Group, RIIA; Just Peace WA, Stop the War Coalition Brisbane, Qld. Council for Civil Liberties, Fair Go for Palestine; Australian Democrats; Communist Party of Australia; Progressive Labor Party, Socialist Alliance; NSW Greens; Qld Greens; Senator Kerry Nettle; Labor MP Daryl Melham; Dr Tim Anderson; Brian Brunt, PNG human rights lawyer; Businessman Dick Smith & Australian Lawyers Alliance.
Speakers include: Terry Hicks, Greens Senators Kerry Nettle & Bob Brown, Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlet, Andrew Ferguson (CFMEU), Brett Collins (Justice Action), Agnes Chong (AMCRAN), Lex Lasry, Terry O'Gorman, Rob Stary, Labor MP Nicola Roxon, Brian Degan, Charles Southwood, Professor Leon Lag, Mem Fox, Halim Rane, Labor MP Claire Moore, Greens Juanita Wheeler, Amnesty's Kate Wood & Nicole Bieske; & ex political prisoners Kay Danes and Mamdouh Habib. [Major Mori is currently visiting David in Guantanamo]
In Sydney join us at 12noon at Sydney Town Hall - wear orange, bring drums & placcards.
For details of other events, please access:
www.fairgofordavid.org www.civilrightsdefence.org www.stopwarcoalition.org |
