Free Imprisoned Whistle-Blower Reality Leigh Winner And Native American Leader Leonard Peltier Stand-Out Davis Square MBTA Subway Stop-Holland Street Side, Somerville-5 PM - 6 PM Thursday July 19, 2018

Free Imprisoned Whistle-Blower Reality Leigh Winner And Native American Leader Leonard Peltier Stand-Out Davis Square MBTA Subway Stop-Holland Street Side, Somerville-5 PM - 6 PM Thursday July 19, 2018

Native American leader Leonard Peltier who has been in poor health should be pardoned by President Trump and we will take time this month to speak about his case along with the latest developments in the Reality Leigh Winner case.

We Will Not Leave Reality Leigh Winner Behind-We Still Say Don’t Prosecute The Truth

Ms. Winner had been charged under the Espionage Act, a 100-year-old statute originally designed for spies and saboteurs aiding foreign governments in time of war, for allegedly giving a document vital to the public’s understanding of potential Russian interference in U.S. election systems to Intercept, an on-line news organization. Ms. Winner earlier this year has been denied her appeal for bail by the federal 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals which precluded her release before trial.

On June 26^th she entered a guilty plea to the espionage charge.   W e can only speculate on the reasons why Ms. Winner did so, but some of them are apparent as we have followed the case with the federal prosecutors holding back documents from her defense attorneys in preparation for trial, in Augusta Federal Court.  Although sentence has not been passed, she faces five years and three months (she has now served over a year in pre-trial confinement, which will count toward her time). Having pleaded guilty, Ms. Winner has given up her right to appeal the espionage statute as applied to her or its constitutionality. She will continue to stay in the Lincoln County jail for the next several months until her sentencing date.  

We believe the projected sentence against Ms. Winner is grossly disproportionate to her alleged offense and is designed to create a chilling effect on investigative journalism by dissuading sources from sharing information that is critical to the public interest. We are still dedicated to raising public awareness of Winner’s case in light of the U.S. government’s persistent abuse of the Espionage Act. As in the Chelsea Manning case, conviction does not end our support for Ms. Winner who like other political prisoners needs to know that those outside the prisons are still concerned about her welfare. We project a letter-writing campaign in solidarity and once sentence is passed a pardon campaign in the future.

For more information-Goggle “Stand With Reality” to reach her Facebook page.  Also Google for an informative article on Ms. Winner’s life in the December 2017 New York magazine.    

We will be at the Davis Square MBTA stop (Holland Street side) in Somerville –Thursday July 19^th 5 PM to 6 PM for our tenth stand-out in defense of whistle-blower Reality Leigh Winner-The Committee for International Labor Defense-Smedley Butler Brigade -Veterans for Peace (labor donated)