Free the Athens Eight! & the Captain

Those arrested include Hawaii resident –Dr. Carol Murry, from Honolulu,  who has joined our Hilo Peace Vigil on numerous occasions.  Send emails calling for their release.

(Sample email below)
Jim

——– Original Message ——–
Subject:     more news….
Date:     Sun, 3 Jul 2011 18:07:28 -0400
From:     Leslie Cagan <lesliecagan@igc.org>
To:     undisclosed-recipients: ;

Action Alert Update #2
July 3, 2011 – 6 pm NY time

Just got word from Athens: the 8 people who were fasting in front of the U.S. Embassy have been arrested. They are Ken Mayers, Carol Murry, Medea Benjamin, Paki Wieland, Ray McGovern, Brad Taylor, Kit Kitteridge and Kathy Kelly. We will not have any more news until the morning.

In the meantime, let’s keep the pressure on Washington. They need to pressure the Greek government to release our captain, our boat and now these 8 people as well! Let them sail to Gaza!!!

Here are some other numbers and email addresses to try:

* State Department general number:  202-647-4000 – ask for the Overseas U.S. Citizen Services Duty Officer and you’ll get a live State Dept. official who has to hear you out.

* The voicemail for Kim Richter – also at the State Dept. –  says she’s out of the office for several days, and that callers with urgent issues should contact a colleague at 202-647-4578.

* You can email the U.S. Embassy in Athens at:  athensamemb@state.gov or you can send an email to them at: athensamericancitizenservices@state.gov

* If you can place an international phone call, the number for the U.S. Embassy in Athens is 011-30-210-721-2951.

Please also try to call, fax or email your members of Congress as well.

More information is on our website: ustogaza.org

Help us keep the pressure up!!

To U.S. government officials in Greece:

I urge US Embassy officials in Greece, along with their superiors in Washington, to do all in their power to seek the release of eight Americans who were arrested while fasting in front of our Athens embassy … as well as the release of the captain of the ship, Audacity of Hope, which was prevented from sailing to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.

Our government should be supporting our citizens instead of helping other nations place obstacles in the way of people dedicated to peace and justice!

I know several of these people personally.  They are wonderful people deeply committed to non-violence and human rights.

Jim Albertini