>Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 10:06:08 -1200 >From: "Main Line News 2000" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Organization: Angelfire (http://email.angelfire.mailcity.lycos.com:80) > >PLEASE POST WIDELY!! > >Although you won't find it in most US media, hundreds of young activists >have been arrested and are being severely beaten, sexually abused and >tortured in Vaclav Havel's Czech Republic, following demonstrations against >the International Monetary Fund meeting taking place there. > >With Green Presidential candidate Ralph Nader taking a strong stand against >such institutions of global capitalism as the International Monetary Fund, >World Bank, and World Trade Organization; and, with many of the activists >having heard Nader's (and others') speeches encouraging them to participate >in non-violent civil disobedience against such institutions, it is terribly >important that Ralph -- and ALL OF US -- take immediate steps to protest >the actions of the Czech authorities and to SAVE THESE PEOPLES' LIVES! This >is not hype, this is what we are facing. And it is NOT what democracy looks >like. > >Below are a few exerpts posted to the NYC Direct Action Network listserve, >which tell us what we need to do. At the very least, please make the phone >calls. > >All power to the people! >Mitchel Cohen >Brooklyn Greens / Green Party of NY > >********************************************************* >This press release from INPEG (below) in Prague, on beatings and human >rights violations of people arrested in the protests is based on eyewitness >accounts and is very disturbing. So is the report from the indymedia site >(below). > >People should call and fax the following numbers and demand that these >violations cease, and that all prisoners be given access to water, food, >medical attention, phone calls, and legal assistance. > >If you can't get through to any of the numbers below (which may happen today >because it is a national holiday), please call the Czech embassy in >Washington, DC, as soon as possible: > >202-274-9100; press 0 for operator > >Call and fax: > >Office of President Vaclav Havel: > >011 4202 24310855 phone > >011 4202 24373196 fax (it would be better to fax today [Thursday] because >it is a national holiday and offices are closed) >e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Ministry of the Interior: > >011 4202 61421115 >011-4202/6143 3552-3 (fax) > >US Embassy in Czech Republic: > >011 4202 57530663 >011 4202 57532059 (fax) > >__________________________________ >Attention News and Assignment >Editors FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >September 28, 2000 > >Contact: >Chelsea Mozen 420 604 384452 or 02 6272349 >To arrange interviews with witnesses recently released,, contact >Cyan IMMEDIATELY: 0605 879 504 > > Shocking Human Rights Abuses Faced by Protestors in Jail >Police Brutality Widespread, most severe for Czechs & Israelis > >PRAGUE - In addition to the mass denial of the legal rights, >individuals have faced extreme brutality in Czech Jails. Paul Rosenthal >from Seattle Washington who was released this morning from the Olsanska jail >in Prague after forty hours states, "What is happening inside the Czech >jails is more than frightening. People have no rights,they are being beaten >severely, they are disappearing. Women are being forced to strip in front >of male guards and perform exercises. People with serious medical problems >have been denied help." The following are accounts confirmed by people that >have been released from jail: > > > Women have been strip searched by male officers and have >been forced to perform physical exercises for their enjoyment > > Many individuals are being denied water, food, and sleep; >some are able to get food only if they pay guards, women and fascists are >more likely to get water > > Many people released have reported that before reaching >police stations, officers took individuals to isolated areas and beat them >severely. > > >Two Norwegians that went to a police station on Trisparni >Street near Vlatavska to report a stolen mobile phone witnessed behind >briefly opened doors that a number of people were handcuffed to the wall and >being beaten severely. This has also been confirmed by many reports from >released persons that in the processing rooms groups of 40 to 60 people were >asked to spread eagle while they were beaten, heads were knocked back, legs >were kicked in, and numbers of men had their groins twisted or >punched. Additionally people handcuffed were tossed down stairs. > > >There is one report that 22 people were crammed into a 4 >square meter cell. > > > 30 People were detained at the Olsanska jail in an outdoor >courtyard overnight with no blankets or food. They were later moved to >Balkova near Pilsen. > > > Two Germans that were detained in Lupacova, Praha 3 on >Wednesday for approximately eight hours were held with an Israeli, an >American,a German, and an Italian. The Israeli had been beaten severely, >had difficulty walking, a black eye, and likely had a broken rib. He has >been denied medical attention > > > People with diabetes were not fed, people that needed >medication were not given it, the British Embassy had to intervene to get >medication into the jail. > > > A Norwegian woman held in jail with 30 other women >witnessed a German woman with a badly injured leg where medics were >denied. > > > Right to legal representation and advice, right to >interpreters, right to food and water, right to basic medical attention, and >the right to a phone call have all been ignored on a widespread scale. > > > Czechs and Israelis are being beaten more drastically and >are being detained longer > > > Many internationals are being moved from local stations to >Balkova near Pilsen which has one of the worst human rights records in the >Czech Republic. > > ### > -- > INPEG International Press Agent > Office: 4202 2320830 > Mobile: 420 604 384452 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Press Center: Parizska 9, Praha 1 > (202) 777-2646 x2570 - US voicemail/fax > http://www.inpeg.org >_______________________________ >from (http://praha.indymedia.org/) > >UPDATE ON JAIL SITUATION IN PRAHA > >The OPH legal team is reporting that there are >more than 859 prisoners being held as a result of >S26 actions. The police are reporting that of that >859 around 200 are not Czech citizens. Only 20 >have been charged. 30 people inside the jails have >been denied food, water and sleep. We have reports >of people having limbs broken and teeth knocked >out. One woman has a broken spine. There is clear >evidence of tourture by the police. > > > >--------- End Forwarded Message --------- >xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox >Claudia White~Main Line News~Human & Civil Rights Campaign Internationale' >Web Read complete archives@ >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/Angel1 >Main Line News >http://www.mainlinenews.net >xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo >Pray for the Dine'h and traditional Hopi at Big Mountain, AZ, USA. >http://members.xoom.com/senaa/HomePage.html >xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox > > > > >Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com > > >______________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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