Hey everyone,

We will be getting together this Sunday at 3pm at my house (816 S. Lahoma Ave.) to have our first letter writing meeting of the year. We have several things to do and talk about.


Troy Davis and the death penalty

I think it's important that we do something in support of Troy Davis. This case is getting worldwide attention (look at his website here, for french speakers, here is the coverage in LeMonde, and take a look at this opinion piece in a student paper here).  He is scheduled to be executed this Tuesday (the 23rd), and even though there is no material evidence linking him to the crime and 7 of the 9 non-police eyewitnesses have recanted or changed their testimony, on Sept.12th the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole refused to grant him clemency. Please find out more about the case and send your appeals to the Board here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis

Here is what the OSU group did last week 

We should put something together on Monday. We need to speak out in the southern region when things like this happen. Please come forward with ideas for Monday - I think that spelling out the word "justice" on the south oval would be a good way to do it if we can get enough folks together, we just need to coordinate our school schedules.

Groovefest

We still have some work left to do on our materials for Groovefest. We have most of the banners finished for our theme but we still need to make the fact sheets and articles so that they can be hung from trees, put together the book lists, and make some decorations and handouts. I will probably start working on these on Saturday so call me if you can help (405.816.1613).

Also, for those of you who are of age, there will be a Groovefest fundraiser on Thursday night (the 25th) at the Deli.


Urgent Action

Here is a description of our Urgent Action this week:

On 12 September, a group of 24 Uzbekistani nationals, who have been living for around a year in the eastern Turkish town of Van, were expelled to Iran. The group is now held by an unidentified Iranian group. Amnesty International fears for their safety while they are being held by the unidentified group and also that they could be subjected to forcible return to Uzbekistan by the Iranian authorities if and when they are released by the group that is currently holding them.

If returned to Uzbekistan the adults of the group would be at risk of incommunicado detention, torture or other ill-treatment. The group has been recognized as refugees by the UNHCR.

Police officers at the Security Directorate in Van reportedly invited the group to visit the Directorate to receive educational materials for the children's schooling. When the group arrived at the Security Directorate, they were allegedly put onto a bus and transported to an isolated area close to the Iranian border. The Turkish security officials who transported them told the group that "we don't need you here" as they forced them into Iranian territory. Once there, an unidentified group apparently not linked to the Iranian government seized them and allegedly threatened to kill them.

To read the rest of the Urgent Action report, please click here


As always, let me know if you have any questions/concerns. See you Sunday!