Showing posts with label RevEdwardPinkney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RevEdwardPinkney. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Reprieve Fights for Political Activist Andy Tsege


Human rights advocacy is under attack, and so are activists. We are censored, persecuted, and sometimes prosecuted on false criminal charges as punishment for speaking truth to power and standing with the people against tyranny. Arresting advocates like Ethiopia did to Andy Tsege serves two purposes: It rids oppressors of the activists' voices, and it also warns others not to follow the activists' obedience to Proverbs 31:8-9: "Stand against oppression of the poor and needy. Judge righteously. Speak on behalf of everyone who is appointed to destruction."

The wrongful conviction and incarceration of Rev. Edward Pinkney, of Benton Harbor, Michigan is an example of oppression to silence dissent. Pinkney is founder and director of the B.H. BANCO organization, and he hosted the "Pinkney to Pinkney" Blogtalkradio show on Sunday evenings. His principal fight is against what he called the corporate takeover of Michigan, beginning in Benton Harbor. Pinkney accused Michigan's governor and local government officials of being grossly unfair to Michigan residents in giving corporations large tax breaks at the expense of public services to the People. Pinkney also complained about officials giving away and selling public lands, then undermining the electoral process by setting city managers over the areas that had been impoverished by those same tax breaks that benefited wealthy corporations.

Rev. Edward Pinkney may be the first American to be ordered off the Internet by a court of law. That never happened to criminals using the Internet to extort people or to pedophiles who use the Internet to attract helpless children, but it happened to Pinkney. He used the Internet to decry Michigan's marriage of corporations and government, which left the citizenry in the position of unwanted stepchildren. Privatizing the water supply and lead poisoning of Flint's residents is an example of government disregard for human rights, which Pinkney opposes. Pinkney was charged with election fraud in connection with a recall petition he sponsored to remove Benton Harbor's mayor, Whitehead. Pinkney was tried and convicted without proof of wrongdoing by an all-white jury composed of people who live in the predominantly Caucasian community across the river from Benton Harbor. Pinkney was sentenced to serve up to 10 years in prison for a crime that never happened; therefore, he is no long on radio each Sunday calling Governor Snyder a dictator.

Pinkney's radio broadcasts had an open forum, and he gave voiceless people throughout America an opportunity to speak. His was one of the first radio shows that welcomed this writer, Mary Neal, who exposes the secret arrest (kidnapping) and euthanasia of Larry Neal and The Cochran Firm fraud. My brother Larry was murdered in Memphis Shelby County Jail after 18 days of secret incarceration. Few media companies will air news about the government abduction and murder of the black, mentally ill heart patient even now, 12 years later. Larry's murder is denied open disclosure, an inquest, investigation or explanation, and it remains unrequited. The cover-up around Larry's murder exists because Memphis Shelby County Jail was operating under an Agreement with the USA, and the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) was in charge of the jail's operations at the time of the disabled American's demise. The USDOJ is complicit in the cover-up.

Whereas this writer was never brought up on false charges, I experience surveillance, financial persecution, and terrorism to discourage my justice quest regarding the secret arrest and wrongful death of Larry Neal and my advocacy for other mentally disabled Americans through an organization I founded and direct -- Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill ("AIMI"). I also experience censorship of articles, social media posts, and radio broadcasts on "Human Rights Demand" channel at Blogtalkradio. Censorship also happens frequently at a radio channel I host under National Network in Action (NNIA1). Examples are available online in "Justice Gagged" blog at Blogger (a link to the blog is below). Rev. Floyd Harris, Jr. directs NNIA and is assistant minister at New Light for New Life Church of God in Fresno, California. Harris recently faced criminal charges related to his peaceful participation in a "Black Lives Matter" march in Fresno. He went to court on January 6, 2016, and may now be on probation for his "offense."

Unfortunately, there are numerous political activists in U.S. prisons, including some who have been incarcerated ever since the 1960's. Most are people of color, as the USA strives to "maintain the status quo" (elite white supremacy). Numerous political prisoners were members of the Black Panther Party (BPP), including Mumia, who activists assert suffers medical neglect in prison. Political prisoner Leonard Peltier was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Activist attorney Lynne Stewart became a political prisoner while providing legal defense for the Blind Sheikh of Egypt, Abdel-Rahman. Stewart was finally granted a compassionate release from prison, but the Blind Sheikh is serving a life sentence. He called for the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's president (Mubarak was a Western-backed dictator who was later ousted by Egyptians). Abdel-Rahman and nine others were convicted of seditious conspiracy, which requires only that a crime be planned, not that any crime was necessarily attempted (Wikipedia).

More U.S. political prisoners are listed by the Jericho Project (link is below) and discussed during Ralph Poynter's weekly radio shows on Tuesday nights at 9pmEST at "Human Rights Demand" channel on Blogtalkradio -- "Ralph Poynter What's Happening." Political prisoners are often tortured, whether in the USA or other countries. Former BPP member Albert Woodfox is an example. For 43 years, Woodfox has been held in solitary confinement, mostly in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. On June 8, 2015, US District Court Judge James Brady ruled that the Angola 3's Albert Woodfox be both immediately released and barred from a retrial, yet he remains imprisoned today. Prolonged solitary confinement was determined to be torture by the United Nations, of which America is a prominent member. [Update: Woodfox was finally released from prison on Friday, February 19, 2016.]

Reprieve's letter regarding Ethiopia's political prisoner Andy Tsege is below, followed by twelve(12) links to websites and articles related to political prisoners and persecuted human rights activists discussed herein:

Dear Mary,

Andy Tsege was abducted 600 days ago this week and taken to an Ethiopian secret prison as punishment for his political activism. Today he will spend his 61st birthday in a cell under sentence of death – the second birthday he has spent locked away from his partner and three children.

Andy is a British citizen, but the British government is refusing to act – despite both the United Nations and the European Parliament calling for his release. But thousands of us have taken action to make sure they can’t continue to quietly stand by while the Ethiopian authorities hold a British citizen in illegal detention under sentence of death.

Today Andy’s partner and three children will deliver our petition to 10 Downing Street - signed by nearly 130,000 of us - calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene to secure Andy’s release.

Andy’s situation is now more desperate that ever – and a demand for his release cannot come a moment too soon. He was moved from a secret location to a notorious prison where torture is commonplace. He has no information about the charges against him. He only knows that he has been sentenced to death and could be executed at any time. As a result, his mental health has deteriorated rapidly. The experts have said that there is now an ‘urgent need’ to remove him from his current conditions.

Andy is a prominent political activist who spoke out against Ethiopia’s human rights record and was sentenced to death by the regime. He was standing up for vales that are important to us all – human rights, democracy and justice.

Nearly 130,000 of us, along with the UN and the EU, have demanded Andy’s immediate release – now it’s time that the British government stands up for one of its own citizens by doing the same.

Thank you for all you do,
Clive Stafford Smith
Founder & Director of Reprieve

TWELVE(12) websites and articles regarding U.S. political prisoners and persecuted activists:

Why Mumia Must Live, and US imperialism Must Die: The Link Between Political Prisoners and the War on Terror

"Ralph Poynter What's Happening" airs on "Human Rights Demand" channel (with Lynne Stewart, Prof. Betty Davis, Larry Pinkney, Mary Neal, and various others)

Journalists React: Rev. Pinkney Sentenced
http://humanrightsforprisonersmarch.blogspot.com/2014/12/journalists-react-rev-pinkney-sentenced.html

Free Leonard Peltier website

Wrongful Death of Larry Neal

Justice Gagged
http://JusticeGagged.blogspot.com

Jericho Project website

Justice for Lynne Stewart website
(regards efforts to free current political prisoners)

Fresno Police Chief Says Civil Rights Activist Is "Brainwashing" Youth 

FRESNO POLICE TARGET LOCAL PASTOR
http://www.briandavidsumner.com/fresno-police-target-local-pastor/

Albert Woodfox News from the Angola 3

Healing Our Wounds: Restorative Justice Is Needed For Albert Woodfox, The Black Panther Party & The Nation --An Interview With Law Professor Angela A. Allen-Bell
http://angola3news.blogspot.com/2015/06/healing-our-wounds-restorative-justice.html

Demand the immediate release of all political prisoners!

"Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has,
and it never will. ~Frederick Douglass

Thanks for participating in the "Human Rights for Prisoners March" across the Internet to demand respect for all people. All lives matter.
"Human Rights for Prisoners March" blog
Human Rights Demand and NNIA1 Blogtalkradio channels
Mary Neal, a/k/a MaryLovesJustice, director 
(678)531-0262
Comments are invited in the comments field below. Sharing all or parts of articles in the Human Rights for Prisoners March blog with a link to the source is encouraged. 

Paragraph 1 repeated:
Human rights advocacy is under attack, and so are activists. We are censored, persecuted, and sometimes prosecuted on false criminal charges as punishment for speaking truth to power and standing with the people against tyranny. Arresting advocates like Ethiopia did to Andy Tsege serves two purposes: It rids oppressors of the activists' voices, and it also warns others not to follow the activists' obedience to Proverbs 31:8-9: "Stand against oppression of the poor and needy. Judge righteously. Speak on behalf of everyone who is appointed to destruction."
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Friday, December 19, 2014

Journalists React: Rev. Pinkney Sentenced


On December 15, 2014, Rev. Edward Pinkney was sentenced to serve from 2.5 to 10 years in prison. He was convicted by an all white jury of election fraud in connection with the successful petition to recall Mayor Hightower, of Benton Harbor, Michigan. Mayor Hightower is perceived by the signatories on the petition as an official who represents corporate interests rather than the interests of his constituents. Americans have the legal right to elect and recall public officials, but exercising the right of recall might get activists arrested.

 Below are excerpts from four news articles about Pinkney's trial and prison sentence.

 (ATLANTA BLACK STAR) Pinkney’s supporters say altering a petition document should have been a misdemeanor offense, not a felony—and there was no evidence to support the charge because no signatures were forged and all signatories testified that they signed willingly on the correct day.

During Pinkney’s trial, a forensics expert for the prosecution testified that there was no way to determine who changed the handful of dates. Still, the all-white jury accepted the prosecutor’s contention that no direct evidence was required; the prosecution told the jury they only had to “believe” that Pinkney was motivated to cheat and that he “could” have changed the dates while circulating the petitions.

 “Rev. Pinkney was accused of writing and changing my date on a petition when, in fact, I wrote my own date and changed it after realizing I had put the wrong date down,” Mary Alice Adams, a Benton Harbor commissioner, said.

(TRUTHOUT) Pinkney is founder of BANCO, the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization, and is arguably the loudest, most outspoken activist in Benton Harbor, which fell under the dictatorship of emergency management in 2010. His organization holds spirited rallies and takes political action against what the group claims is rampant government-corporate collusion, police corruption, economic injustice, and a discriminatory - even "genocidal" - plan for gentrification of the city.

Witness after witness stood up to the prosecutor who put not only Pinkney on trial, but also his community organization, BANCO. The prosecutor hounded the witnesses to "confess" that somehow the dates were altered, and questioned if they were card-holding members of the BANCO organization. The scene held shadows of a McCarthy-era House Un-American Activities Committee witch-hunt.

 "Here, Whirlpool controls not only Benton Harbor and the residents, but also the court system itself. They will do anything to crush you if you stand up to them. That's why it's so important to fight this. I'm going to fight them until the end. This is not just an attack on Rev. Pinkney. It's an attack on every single person that lives in Benton Harbor, in the state and around the country." - Rev. Edward Pinkney

(COUNTERPOINT) Overall more than 700 people signed the recall petitions most of which were validated by the local election commission. A date was set for the recall election.

 Nonetheless, after Pinkney was indicted and placed under house arrest for several weeks, the recall election was cancelled by a local judge raising questions about the signatures. Yet later, another judge certified the petitions and authorized the recall election to proceed.

 The local authorities in Berrien County challenged the election that was scheduled for November 4. The Michigan Court of Appeals then cancelled the recall elections again. Hightower remains in office and was called as a prosecution witness during the first day of the trial.

(VOICE OF DETROIT) Over the past decades, Whirlpool has shut down numerous plants in the city that once employed residents, and has been conducting a massive take-over of choice Benton Harbor land, including that surrounding the gorgeous Lake Michigan beach which is part of the public Jean Klock Park. 

“Mayor James Hightower . . . says the Whirlpool Corporation should not pay taxes – only the residents of the city of Benton Harbor should foot the bills,” the BANCO site says. “Whirlpool Corporation’s profit last year was more than ten billion dollars, and it paid no taxes to the city of Benton Harbor where the headquarters resides. Mayor James Hightower and the Whirlpool Corporation fought extremely hard [in Nov. 2013] to defeat the city income tax which would have provided $3.5 million dollars the very first year and every year after. Residents and those who work in the city would pay the income tax. Corporations would, too.”

 [After the income tax did not pass] Hightower took out a $2.3 million loan to finance city expenses, pushing the economically-strapped city further into debt.

 Whirlpool has put their brand new headquarters on riverfront property in Benton Harbor, and built a luxury golf course and residential development directly off the Klock Park beach.
*****
Rev. Pinkney met routinely with community organizers. See a Pontiac, Michigan man complain to Rev. Pinkney on film that his city is also being taken over for private corporate interests http://youtu.be/R-OI_6IFRf0

 A United Front Radio Interview with Rev. Pinkney explores his historic fight against austerity in Benton Harbor at 
http://youtu.be/d73hQfgeY5o  Pinkney's two convictions by all-white juries are discussed in depth. The Berrien County Court reportedly received 130 letters in support of Rev. Pinkney. 

 The entire world was shocked when water was shut off for thousands of Detroit households, and parents feared their children would be removed from their custody. 
RT - "Detroit's humanitarian crisis: thousands left without water"  http://youtu.be/lAT6DyuOFvk

With Benton Harbor more in debt than ever, under the loan arranged by Mayor Hightower, it is likely that more public land might be sold to pay the loan. Perhaps it will even be sold to Westinghouse, especially with Rev. Edward Pinkney out of the way. 

 Michigan is under seize, and one of her most outspoken leaders for justice has just become a political prisoner. Perhaps Pinkney's conviction by an all-white jury and his sentencing without any evidence of criminal wrongdoing will warn other community leaders throughout America who oppose the marriage of government and Big Business and privatizing public lands and resources. Americans might even learn not to complain when multi-billion dollar corporations are excused from paying taxes.

 See seven links below, five of which lead to the complete articles from which excerpts herein were provided. Visit also Rev. Pinkney Blogtalkradio page at Facebook for updates and his website, B.H.Banco.org.

Atlanta Black Star
TruthOut 
TruthOut
Voice of Detroit

Photo from People's Tribune Radio page at Facebook

***********

Thanks for participating in the "Human Rights for Prisoners March" across the Internet to demand respect for all people.
Human Rights for Prisoners March
Blogtalkradio - Monday nights at 9pm PST 
Mary Neal, director 
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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Johnny Strozier, Keeping It Real


Johnny Strozier was imprisoned for 46 years (1968 to 2013), with 15 years in solitary confinement. He began a life of crime at 6 years of age, when he and friends broke into an Atlanta warehouse and stole cigarettes for family members and candy. Strozier continued to break the rules until he converted to Christianity in the 1980's. He talked about what it felt like to be a free adult for the very first time on NNIA1:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nnia1/2014/06/03/human-rights-for-prisoners-march-1

After his conversion, Strozier no longer attacked prison guards, escaped from prison, and participated in prison gang activity. He was a changed man. Strozier received his high school diploma behind bars and became a certified cook. He completed numerous other courses and attended church services regularly. Strozier's first year out of prison since he was a child has been exciting and challenging. He works, learned how to use a cell phone, still attends church regularly, and plans to learn how to operate a computer. He encourages our young people to avoid incarceration. Strozier's formula for wholesome living is simple:

1) Start thinking right; 2) start acting right; and 3) you will have the right results.

Strozier's story proves that everyone can change, and we should help prisoners to change their lives for the better. Rehabilitation should be the main goal of prisons. There are no throwaway people. Listen to Mr. Strozier at the radio link above, and please share the broadcast for "HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PRISONERS MARCH," taped June 2, 2014.

Stalkers attacked my shows at +BlogTalkRadio and removed two of my recurring shows:
1) MaryLovesJustice Prayer Meeting, and
2) Human Rights for Prisoners March

I wondered what the point was until I noticed that when I had to again post "Human Rights for Prisoners March," stalkers gave us a link with a "1" at the end. That way, the broadcast carrying Mr. Strozier's story will not match other "Human Rights for Prisoners March" shows recorded at Blogtalkradio. The other shows all have the exact same link, except the date changes automatically each week. Ask yourself why stalkers might conspire to prevent easy access to Mr. Strozier's uplifting story.

Could the stalkers be PRISON INVESTORS who want us to believe that there is no chance of rehabilitating prisoners and restoring them to wholesome lives? Like Mr. Strozier, I am also taking classes and praying. I am presently enrolled in the American Institute of Human Rights for the Human Rights Defender course. After 16 weeks of computer classes, Human Rights Defender candidates will train with International Human Rights Lawyers for six months. Stalkers destroyed my computer Sunday, necessitating that I purchase another one out of meager funds to continue my courses and online advocacy.

One day I plan to use my training as a Human Rights Defender to present a complaint against the many freedom of press violations I endure in the United States, which activists experience continuously. I am "America's Most Censored - Mary Neal" Google that title to access my article listing reasons why the statement is true. For now, I simply publish the assaults on my right to freedom of expression, report them to the Internet companies where they occur and to government officials who allow and/or order the violations, and save proof that my freedom of press rights are seriously violated. (The United Nations asks what measures have been taken in member states to correct crimes against humanity before it accepts complaints. That is why I report the violations and NOT because I expect positive Change from lawless people.)

Ida B. Wells' freedom of press rights were not respected in the 1800s. She published an anti-lynching report in her Memphis newspaper after several of her friends were arrested and lynched for attempting to protect themselves against certain Caucasian men, who happened to be off-duty sheriff's deputies. After publishing her report, Wells left Memphis and never dared return, lest she also become a lynch mob victim. Wells made the right decision. A mob assembled at her newspaper office the following day when her report was distributed, and they completely destroyed it. 

Activists, especially African Americans, still have difficulty reporting the truth in the United States. One of my online ministers, Rev. Edward Pinkney, is currently under a gag order that restricts his freedom of press rights. He is the very first American to have been issued a gag order to prevent him from using the Internet. His "crime"? Not kiddie porn, cyberstalking, bank fraud through online services, or any other criminal activity having to do with the Internet, although thousands of people have been convicted of such crimes without losing their right to use the Internet. Rev. Pinkney is accused, but not convicted, of election fraud for sponsoring a successful petition (with handwritten signatures) to recall the mayor of Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Despite the continuous censorship and sabotage of my work product, we continue our Human Rights for Prisoners March across the Internet, demanding respect for all people. It was encouraging to hear from Mr. Strozier, who was released as a changed man in 2013 after having lived as a prisoner since 1968 - the year Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. We consider such testimony from a released prisoner plus the censorship that attacks his story as proof that our radio broadcasts have influence against mass incarceration, wrongful convictions, solitary confinement, capital punishment, and the fight for prisoners' rights as well as every American's human rights. See and share our radio schedules below.

Listen to shows at NNIA1, where we advocate for justice and human rights. Schedule: 
http://freespeakblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/new-human-rights-blogtalkradio.html

"Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand. It Never Did, and It Never Will." ~ Frederick Douglass. Please also listen to Johnny Strozier each Friday at 3pm EDT on our "Human Rights Demand" channel at Blogtalkradio. His show is called, "Johnny Dozier Keeping It Real." Please use this link for our schedule:
http://freespeakblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/human-rights-demand-channel.html

REPEAT OF PARAGRAPH 1: Johnny Strozier was imprisoned for 46 years (1968 to 2013), 15 years in solitary confinement. He began a life of crime at 6 years of age and continued to break the rules until he converted to Christianity in the 1980's.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nnia1/2014/06/03/human-rights-for-prisoners-march-1

*******
Thanks for participating in the "Human Rights for Prisoners March" across the Internet to 
demand respect for all people.

Human Rights for Prisoners March
Blogtalkradio - Monday nights at 9pm PST
Mary Neal, director

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