WOMAN WHO CONFRONTED CONDI RICE WITH "BLOODY" HANDS FACES 135 DAYS JAIL TIME

Contact: Gael Murphy, 202 412 6700
Dana Balicki 202 422 8624

April 30th, 2008



CITIZEN ACTIVISTS FACE MORE AND MORE JAIL TIME FOR NON-VIOLENT ACTS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE


On the anniversary of "Mission Accomplished," Bush's declaration of a military victory in Iraq, Desiree Anita Ali-Fairooz, a member of CODEPINK: Women for Peace faces criminal proceedings in a DC Court for approaching Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a congressional hearing last October with red painted hands saying "... the blood of millions of Iraqis is on your hands."  Ms. Fairooz faces up to 135 days in jail if found guilty of disorderly conduct as per the enhancement filed by the government's prosecutor, Jeffrey Scott Shapiro.

WHEN: Thursday, May 1st, court begins 9AM. Press availability both before and after trial 
WHERE: Superior Court District of Columbia, 500 Indiana Ave NW Courtroom 120
WHO: Desiree Fairooz, citizen activist, member of CODEPINK: Women for Peace stands trial for approaching Sec. of State Rice with red paint on her hands (alleged disorderly conduct)
Secretary Rice, one of  the key architects in the lead up to the illegal invasion of Iraq was recently revealed to have directly authorized the illegal use of torture.  While neither Condoleezza Rice nor George Bush are held accountable for violations of Geneva Conventions and the U.S. Constitution,  Ms. Fairooz and other peace activists become regular targets of Capitol Police profiling and routinely face jail time for exercising their freedoms of speech and redress of grievances as per their constitutional right.
"Condoleezza Rice, as Secretary of State promotes this illegal war, torture, rendition and other human rights violations.  As a direct result of these policies, thousands of young women and children have been forced into sexual slavery, 1 million women have become widows, 4 million refugees struggle inside and outside of Iraq and 1.2 million Iraqis have been killed. I cannot and will not be silent while my government rapes and pillages the country of Iraq in the name of the 'war on terror', "says the former children's librarian, Fairooz, 51. "Silence is consent to war crimes and we, the concerned American people, will not be silent."
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