Human Rights Situation in the USA: Indigenous Rights Activist Leonard Peltier

Invitation to Side Event - In the framework of HRC 16

Human Rights Situation in the USA: Native American Prisoners - Indigenous Rights Activist Leonard Peltier

Thursday, 17th of March, 11 am - 1 pm, Room XXII

The indigenous rights activist Leonard Peltier is an innocent man wrongfully convicted in connection with the shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The evidence shows that the FBI was the aggressor in the firefight that occurred on June 26, 1975. Despite the U.S. government's own admission that it did not and cannot prove his guilt, Mr. Peltier has been denied a new trial. According to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Mr. Peltier was to have served a sentence of 200+ months. Mr. Peltier has now served more than 400 months in a federal penitentiary – over 35 years. In 2009, although Mr. Peltier has met all eligibility requirements, he was again denied parole. Mr. Peltier won't be given another full parole review until 2024.

Hosts of the side event are Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and INCOMINDIOS Switzerland together with the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) and the Indigenous Peoples and Nations Coalition.

Opening remarks:

Helena Nyberg, INCOMINDIOS Switzerland

Contributions:

Leonard Foster, traditional spiritual advisor for Leonard Peltier and Indigenous prisoners in the United States

Ambassador Ron Barnes, Chair Indigenous Peoples and Nations Coalition

Introduction of the documentary "Warrior - The life of Leonard Peltier,” by Suzie Baer, Cinnamon Productions, Inc. (DVD)

Refreshments (sandwiches and water) will be served. Interpretation "english-spanish” will be provided.

For more informations please contact Helena Nyberg, Incomindios Switzerland, Tel: +41 44 383 21 31, textart@windowslive.com or Yvonne Bangert, Society for Threatened Peoples, +49 551 499 06 14, indigene@gfbv.de.