Minnesota Members

A National Summit on Torture: Religious Faith,

Torture, and our National Soul

September 11-12, 2008
Mercer University in Atlanta, GA

CHICAGO, July 18 -- On June 25, 2008, the Center for Victims of Torture, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, and Evangelicals for Human Rights launched the Campaign to Ban Torture: American Voices for American Values. Today, we are happy to announce that the Midwest Coalition for Human Rights has officially endorsed the campaign.

WASHINGTON, June 25 - A bipartisan group of 200 former government officials, retired generals and religious leaders plans to issue a statement on Wednesday calling for a presidential order to outlaw some interrogation and detention practices used by the Bush administration over the last six years.

The executive order they seek would commit the government to using only interrogation methods that the United States would find acceptable if used by another country against American soldiers or civilians.

TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION OF LIBERIA U.S. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Confronting a Difficult Past for a Better Future: The Diaspora Experience

For the first time in history, a nation's Truth & Reconciliation Commission will hold official public hearings in the United States. More than 30 individual witnesses from across the United States will present testimony before the full Commission. Hearings are open to the public each day.

Schedule

The Center for Victims of Torture invites you to join a celebration in honor of UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Thursday, June 26 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. at the Center for Victims of Torture, 717 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN.

Keynote speaker will be Birhan Abede. Music by Hospitality House African Drum & Dance. A short play written by Kira Obolensky of the Playwrights' Center.

ABOUT JUNE 26

"No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for torture."
Article 2, United Nations Convention Against Torture

Presenters Sam Myers (cofounder of Myers Thompson, P.A.,) John Keller (Executive Director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota,) and Michele Garnett McKenzie (program director of The Advocates for Human Rights' Refugee & Immigrant Program) will discuss the immigration raids and detentions which have accompanied greater enforcement policies in the state and nation. The panel will cover immigration policy enforcement since 9/11 and its impact on employers, the impact of raids on communities and legal remedies, current U.S. immigration detention policy and practice, and a call to action for lawyers and advocates who wish to get involved.

Location: Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi LLP; 2800 LaSalle Plaza; 800 LaSalle Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 

Great Conversations features thought-provoking discussions between forward-thinking agents of change from the University of Minnesota and their distinguished guests from around the world. Speakers for the May event will be Kerry Kennedy and Barbara Frey.

DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS
Kerry Kennedy and Barbara Frey

Workers Interfaith Network unites religious leaders, labor leaders, and workers to address economic disparities by demanding improved wages, benefits, and working conditions assuring that our community’s economic abundance is shared by all.

To me, there is no more morally urgent movement than the movement for worker justice.

My hope is to share words that will deepen and strengthen that movement. So it seems to me important to address a basic question from the outset: What would drive religious leaders and people of faith to work closely with labor unions? The answer is threefold:

History