Vigil for the Indian human rights activist: Please give Leonard Peltier his freedom, President Obama!

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) will be holding a demonstration this Friday (11.9.2009) at the Pariser Platz near the US Embassy for the release of the seriously ill Indian civil rights activist, Leonard Peltier, who has been in prison for 33 years as an innocent man. Peltier will be 65 years old on Saturday (12.09.2009).

In 1976 Peltier was sentenced to twice lifelong imprisonment because two FBI agents died in a shoot-up in the Pine Ridge Reservation of the Sioux Indians in the US federal state of South Dakota. However the shots which killed them were proved in ballistic investigation not to have come from Peltier’s weapon.

"We are very disappointed that the Parole Commission turned down on 21st August an application for release of the civil rights activist. He has had to spend more than half his life in prison! His only hope now rests with Barack Obama”, said Yvonne Bangert, GfbV consultant for indigenous peoples. "With our vigil we are appealing to the President to pardon Peltier. We call all friends of the Indians to join us in large numbers.”

33 years in prison as an innocent man – the Indian civil rights activist

will be 65 years old:

Freedom for Leonard Peltier!

Friday, 11th September

near the US Embassy