Prison Radio
Jaan Laaman

In the past few weeks, many people have been trying to raise the alarm about Lynne Stewart, the 73 year old Human Rights attorney, dying of cancer in a federal prison in Texas.  These include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who has called for Lynne’s immediate release and has urged people in the United States to also raise their voices.  Dick Gregory, the entertainer and activist has begun a total solid food fast until Lynne Stewart is released.  These noble calls and actions have to reach much further though, all the way to the White House.

Lynne Stewart has spent her life fighting for justice, peace and Human Rights, especially for the poor, people of color, activists and even revolutionaries.  Lynne has been in prison since 2009 for too vigorously defending a Court assigned defendant, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman.

Right now Lynne Stewart has stage four cancer that has spread to several areas of her body.  She is dying.  Federal law allows for medical and compassionate release.  But the release process has to be initiated by the warden of the prison the person is held in.  The warden of the Federal Prison in Carswell, Texas, has refused to begin the compassionate release process for Lynne Stewart.

Rhis is not just wrong, it is an outrage and you can do something about it.  Go to www.lynnestewart.org and sign the petition asking for Lynne Stewart’s release on medical and compassionate grounds.  This is a simple, quick task. Over 8,000 people have already signed.  Please, if you haven’t yet signed it, do it now; and equally important, tell all your friends to also sign the petition and help save the life of a courageous wonderful woman.

This is Jaan Laaman, your political prisoner voice, coming to you from the federal prison in Tucson, Arizona.  Until next time, remember, “Freedom is a Constant Struggle!”