FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jodie Evans, Co-founder CODEPINK, 310-621-5635, jodie@codepink.org
Sam Ritchie, CODEPINK Communications Director, 347-452-0008, sam@codepink.org
People’s Tribunal Will Demand Truth and Accountability, More Important Than Ever Given Presidential Election Outcome. Peace Activists Fear On-Going Secrecy, Lies and Additional Loss of Life.
WASHINGTON, November 28, 2016 – On December 1st and 2nd, 2016, the People's Tribunal on the Iraq War will investigate the lies and costs related to the war on Iraq. Featuring more than 100 testifiers from around the world, the Tribunal offers the opportunity to unite the peace movement with other justice movements to put a spotlight on the costs of this war—and war itself. Those testifying at the Tribunal will deliver evidence and give statements via video, live-streaming and in-person. Given the results of the Presidential election, the need for transparency is more important than ever, as the country nears having an administration seen as volatile, untrustworthy and racist as President-elect Trump’s.
Day one will focus on the lies that drove the rush to war, while day two will focus on the costs of the war. Those scheduled to testify include:
- Jeremy Corbyn, who will deliver the Chilcot Report, which concluded that Tony Blair purposefully exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein and that, in fact, Iraq posed no imminent threat that would justify an invasion.
- Elizabeth Holtzman, the member of Congress in the 1970s recognized as the woman who impeached Nixon, who will deliver her book calling for the impeachment of George W. Bush.
- Inder Comar, who will deliver the documents that make up the ongoing class action suit against six members of the George W. Bush administration alleging that the Iraq War constituted a war of aggression.
Additional testifiers include Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, Dream Defenders Founding Member Ciara Taylor, Former Ambassador Joe Wilson, Actor Danny Glover, Playwright Eve Ensler, Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader, Environmental Activist Bill McKibben and many more. A full list of testifiers can be found on the Tribunal’s website.
“After 14 years of costly war based on lies, it’s time for truth and accountability,” said Jodie Evans, CODEPINK co-founder. “We started the People’s Tribunal as a platform to tell the truth as loudly as the architects of this war told their lies. We know that once the case has been made, the need for President Obama to establish a commission on Truth and Accountability will be irrefutable,” continued Evans. “With an incoming administration that has only stoked the fires of racism and Islamophobia and is clearly unprepared for international relation, never mind leadership that would have any interest in transparency, this tribunal is more important than ever,” concluded Evans.
For more information or to set up interviews with testifiers, contact Sam Ritchie at (347) 452-0008 or sam@codepink.org.
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