#NDNCollective Rallies in front of White House Calling for Executive #Clemency for #LeonardPeltier

For Immediate Release: September 18, 2024

Washington, DC – "NDN Collective rallied in front of the White House today and called for executive clemency for Leonard Peltier. At 80 years old, #Peltier has been incarcerated for nearly 50 years and is now in very poor health. Time is of the essence to release Leonard Peltier, the longest held #Indigenous political prisoner in U.S. history.

"On April 19, 2024, Peltier’s request for a compassionate release was denied by the Bureau of Prisons. On July 2, 2024, Peltier was denied parole after a full parole hearing was held on June 10, 2024. Peltier will not be eligible for another hearing for 15 years, when he will be 94. As a result of this denial and Peltier’s age, #ExecutiveClemency is his best opportunity to be released.

"NDN Collective is spending the week in Washington to meet with elected officials, calling upon representatives and federal officials to take action on a number of issues including supporting the release of Leonard Pelteir. The following statements were shared on behalf of the organization:

"'President Biden now has the opportunity to solidify his already extraordinary legacy in Indian Country as the U.S. president that granted clemency to Leonard Peltier and finally right a grave #injustice,' said Holly Cook Macarro, Government Affairs for NDN Collective. 'In the next few months we are going to organize our many allies in Congress and around the world to unite their voices and support the call for clemency from President #Biden.

"'America’s longest living and incarcerated Indigenous political prisoner, Leonard Peltier, is a #BoardingSchool survivor,' said Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective President and CEO. 'He lived through the atrocities of those schools and while this country is reckoning with the traumas inflicted on our people by these institutions, it’s important to lift up all our elders who survived boarding schools, Leonard included.'

"'The fact that Leonard is still behind bars is the result of a longstanding campaign against him by the #FBI,' said Janene Yazzie, Director of Policy and Advocacy for NDN Collective. 'Despite the plethora of evidence that shows the system injustices that led to his incarceration, the narrative of the FBI continues to paint Leonard as a murderer. As we move forward, we need to look at all the research and good work done by our partners and other #HumanRights organizations on Leonard’s case to keep ourselves informed.'

"To support Leonard’s freedom, NDN Collective is asking people to:

- Call senators and urge them to support executive clemency for Leonard Peltier

- Watch the latest #RedNationMovement podcast on Leonard’s case

- Download the toolkit at freeleonard-peltier.com

- Text FREELEONARD to 50302 for more updates"

Source and FMI:
https://ndncollective.org/ndn-collective-rallies-in-front-of-white-house-calling-for-executive-clemency-for-leonard-peltier/