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27383: Brian: (comment) Fr. Gerry Released
From: Brian <brian@ijdh.org>
Fr. Gerry Released!
January 29, Noon ET
We have great news: Political prisoner Fr. Gerard-Jean-Juste, "Fr. Gerry" is
right now on a plane in the air from Port-au-Prince to Miami. A cancer
center in Florida has agreed to treat his leukemia, so he will get immediate
attention for the cancer, as well as for the pneumonia he contracted this
week.
Fr. Gerry was granted a provisional release, which requires him to return to
Haiti after the treatment to face the charges still pending against him. The
current charges against him are as baseless as the other charges which have
been dismissed. Fr. Gerry's lawyers at the Bureau des Avocats
Internationaux (BAI) have filed an appeal, asking for the charges to be
dismissed. The appeals court can rule on the appeal without Fr. Gerry's
presence, so it is possible that the case will be dismissed without
requiring him to return to court. If he is forced to return to court, the
BAI lawyers will continue to fight the charges.
In the meantime, Fr. Gerry will be relatively safe, and will have his
leukemia treated. Doctors who have examined him are hopeful that his
disease is at a stage where it can be successfully treated, but they cannot
be certain without more tests.
Today's victory proves the Haitian proverb, "men anpil, chay pa lou-: many
hands makes the load light. This mobilization has been by far the strongest
and most persistent Haiti advocacy effort in the ten years that I have been
involved in Haiti work. Everyone who called, faxed, wrote or emailed Haitian
and US officials, everyone who signed a petition, everyone who forwarded
information about Fr. Gerry to their church, their friends, and their
family, should be proud. Close to a dozen human rights groups, over 50
members of the US Congress, and hundreds of religious, political and human
rights leaders from all over the world joined together to make this moment
possible.
Together we demonstrated that the world does care, that justice is possible,
and that collective action does work. No small accomplishment.
Fr. Gerry said in a letter from prison on Friday: "understand that I wish
you all to extend
your support not only to me but to as many political prisoners as possible
wherever on planet earth. Probably, you are aware that there are quite a
number of political prisoners around the world. Think of them and keep them
in your heart.. I am very grateful to Amnesty International and to all of
you for helping fight for the human rights of all political prisoners, here
in Haiti and across the world. Let's keep the momentum on for justice,
peace, love, and sharing to prevail all over the world as God wants it."
Today we should all take the time to pat ourselves on the back. But
tomorrow we need to get back to work, to help the political prisoners that
Fr. Gerry left behind in Haiti.
Peace, Brian
Brian Concannon Jr.
Director, Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti
Brian@IJDH.org
www.ijdh.org
PO Box 745
Joseph, OR, 79846 USA
541-432-0597
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<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Fr.
Gerry Released! <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>January
29, Noon ET<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></fon=
t></b></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>We have great news: Political prisoner Fr. Gerard-Jean-Juste, =
“Fr.
Gerry” is right now on a plane in the air from <st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Port-au-Prince</st1:City>
to <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Miami</st1:City></st1:place>. A
cancer center in <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">Florida</st1:State></st1:place>
has agreed to treat his leukemia, so he will get immediate attention for =
the
cancer, as well as for the pneumonia he contracted this =
week.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Fr. Gerry was granted a provisional release, which requires him =
to
return to <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region =
w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:country-region></st1:place>
after the treatment to face the charges still pending against him. The =
current
charges against him are as baseless as the other charges which have been
dismissed. Fr. Gerry’s lawyers at the Bureau des Avocats
Internationaux (BAI) have filed an appeal, asking for the charges to be
dismissed. The appeals court can rule on the appeal without Fr.
Gerry’s presence, so it is possible that the case will be =
dismissed
without requiring him to return to court. If he is forced to =
return to
court, the BAI lawyers will continue to fight the =
charges.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>In the meantime, Fr. Gerry will be relatively safe, and will =
have his
leukemia treated. Doctors who have examined him are hopeful that =
his
disease is at a stage where it can be successfully treated, but they =
cannot be
certain without more tests.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Today’s victory proves the Haitian proverb, =
“<i><span
style=3D'font-style:italic'>men anpil, chay pa lou-</span></i>: many =
hands makes
the load light. This mobilization has been by far the strongest and most
persistent <st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:country-region> =
advocacy
effort in the ten years that I have been involved in <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region
w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:country-region></st1:place> work. Everyone who =
called,
faxed, wrote or emailed Haitian and US officials, everyone who signed a
petition, everyone who forwarded information about Fr. Gerry to their =
church,
their friends, and their family, should be proud. Close to a dozen =
human
rights groups, over 50 members of the US Congress, and hundreds of =
religious,
political and human rights leaders from all over the world joined =
together to
make this moment possible. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Together we demonstrated that the world does care, that justice =
is
possible, and that collective action does work. No small =
accomplishment.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Fr. Gerry said in a letter from prison on Friday: “<font
color=3Dblack><span style=3D'color:black'>understand that I wish you all =
to extend<br>
your support not only to me but to as many political prisoners as =
possible
wherever on planet earth. Probably, you are aware that there are quite a =
number
of political prisoners around the world. Think of them and keep =
them in
your heart…. I am very grateful to Amnesty International and to =
all of
you for helping fight for the human rights of all political prisoners, =
here in <st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region =
w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and across the world. Let's keep the momentum on for justice, peace, =
love, and
sharing to prevail all over the world as God wants =
it.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p=
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Today we should all take the time =
to pat
ourselves on the back. But tomorrow we need to get back to work, =
to help
the political prisoners that Fr. Gerry left behind in <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region
=
w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></fo=
nt></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p=
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Peace, Brian<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Brian Concannon Jr.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Director, Institute for Justice & Democracy in =
<st1:country-region
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Haiti</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font><o:p></o:=
p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a =
href=3D"mailto:Brian@IJDH.org";>Brian@IJDH.org</a></span></font><o:p></o:p=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a =
href=3D"http://www.ijdh.org";>www.ijdh.org</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p=
<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:address w:st=3D"on"><st1:Street =
w:st=3D"on"><font size=3D2
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>PO =
Box</span></font></st1:Street><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> =
745</span></font></st1:address><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on"><font =
size=3D2
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Joseph</span></font></st1:Ci=
ty><font
size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State
w:st=3D"on">OR</st1:State>, <st1:PostalCode =
w:st=3D"on">79846</st1:PostalCode> <st1:country-region
=
w:st=3D"on">USA</st1:country-region></span></font></st1:place><o:p></o:p>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>541-432-0597</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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