Press conference« Bernard Rappaz is not the only political prisoner of the drug war »
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 11 h - Lady Long Solo, 38, street Keller Paris 11è
International Committee for Immediate Released
of Drug War Political Prisoners
(ex-International Committee of Support to Bernard Rappaz)
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, December 25th, 2010
« Bernard Rappaz is not the only political prisoner of the drug war »
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 11 h - Lady Long Solo, 38, street Keller Paris 11è
The news felt the day before Christmas: at the 120th day of his hunger strike, our friend Bernard Rappaz put an end to his hunger strike - one of the longest one ever recording-, without having even acquired the suspension of condemnation for which he asked. He will have been to the end of possible judicial appeals, and finally gone to injunction to eat again formulated by the Court European of Human rights, « in wait » of the opinion which she could return before some years.
Since then, certain that Swiss authorities were very able of letting it, as well die as they had announced it, Bernard Rappaz stopped his fasting, not to put his life any more in risk in vain, since no constituted authority seems able of expressing the slightest clemency in its respect, in spite of the obvious injustice the object of which it is.
We greet this reasonable choice, correspondent to the sense of a protest by means of the hunger strike, which is not aimed against one, but definitely against authorities when they go too far of the acceptable.
Let us underline in this opportunity that the hunger strike started by Bernard Rappaz not only drew attention to its particular case, but also to the witch-hunt victims of which can be the supporters of reforms of aberrant legislation which govern narcotics. In Switzerland, other activists hired in the movement of reform, very enduring these last years, were subjected to various degrees to the same furious energy victim Bernard Rappaz of which was. To such an extent that it is not exaggerated to say that this movement aspiring to necessary reforms is practically crossed in hiding, as well as they could measure it with difficulty that it will have had to rally for the defence of Rappaz, which will have found paradoxically the biggest of his defenders abroad.
Worldwide, the special draft of conscience in an also remarkable media desert, gathered extremely various personalities, in Latin America as in the United States and in Europe, particularly in France, where they recorded, among other numerous signatories of the call thrown by Jean Ziegler, the support of Daniel Cohn Bendit, José Bové, Mgr Gaillot, Stephane Hessel and lately Danièle Mitterrand.
If a quasi universal media silence applied to the hunger strike of Bernard Rappaz in spite of its special length and due to the fact that it agitates the Swiss public opinion during numerous months, a similar phenomenon hits other activists in favour of a reform of the policy of narcotics in the world. In so different countries as the United States or Morocco, they could signal other cases of political prisoners of war to narcotics.
But who intended to speak about Chakib el Khayari, it activists of human rights Moroccan who reports the corruption of the kingdom chérifien, condemned heavily « to have undermined just like the Kingdom »? More media, American, the case of the leader of Marihuana Party Canadian, Mark Emery, which was extradited in the United States to purge a trouble there "negotiated" to avoid a heavier condemnation still, punishing a commercial activity which is not illegal in its country as in numerous American States!
As Bernard Rappaz, Chakib el Khayari and Mark Émery victims of political persecutions are apparently. As it, they will have been condemned at the end of legal proceedings very distant from any idea of justice.
As Bernard Rappaz, they must be liberated.
To take stock of the situation on the situation of Bernard Rappaz and of these other victims of suppression, the international Committee for the release of the political prisoners of the war to narcotics (international ex-committee of support of Bernard Rappaz) invites you for a press conference, on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 11 h, in the Bookshop Lady Long Solo, 38, rue Keller, 75011 PARIS.
Press Contact : Farid Ghehioueche 0614815679
par Comité International pour la Libération Immédiate des Prisonniers Politiques de la Guerre aux Drogues, 28/12/2010
