Alliance for Justice. Action item: Habeas Corpus (Military Commissions Act update)

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TAKE ACTION: Defend the Constitution

http://ga1.org/campaign/military_commissions_2007

Justice System Under Attack

Last September, Alliance for Justice ( http://afj.org ) launched a campaign against the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA), then under consideration by Congress. One egregious provision in the bill – which we urged our supporters to oppose – eliminated habeas corpus rights and allowed the government to continue holding prisoners at Guantanamo indefinitely with no court review.

Congress considered the MCA because the Supreme Court had earlier ruled in the Hamdan case that the Guantanamo military trials contemplated by the administration were illegal. The new bill, which is now law, authorized the special military trials and gave the president wide latitude in creating the rules governing their procedures.

Unfortunately, unless these rules are developed in the open, no one will have confidence that the trials will be conducted in a fair and just manner. Right now these rules are being drafted secretly and are set to be finalized on January 16th.

We need you to urge your senators and representatives to make sure Congress extends the January 16th deadline and opens the rulemaking process up for public comment.

What's at Stake:

If left unchecked by Congress, the Bush administration could establish military trials with relaxed rules on hearsay and evidence obtained through coercion. Defendants could be convicted and sentenced to death on the basis of second-hand summaries of statements without any opportunity for defendants to confront their accusers.

NO TIME TO LOSE:

The Bush administration plans to unveil and finalize the military commission rules on January 16th, with no input from Congress or the public.

What You Can Do:

Urge your senators and House members to support legislation allowing Congress to review the rules governing the military commissions.

Click here to send a letter to your elected representatives:

http://ga1.org/campaign/military_commissions_2007

Learn More:

To read the letter sent by the American Bar Association to the Pentagon, click here.

http://www.afj.org/abamca.pdf

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