GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE 2005 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
On Monday, January 17, 2005 the United States of America will celebrate the annual National Holiday in honor of the late, great and martyred civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
To mark this occasion, University of Illinois College of Law Professor Francis A. Boyle has nominated former Illinois Governor George Ryan for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize because of his courageous and heroic opposition to the racist death penalty system in America, which differentially targets African Americans. 42% of America's death row population are African Americans. Of those defendants executed in the United States since 1976, 34% were African Americans. Of the 167 persons whom George Ryan liberated from Illinois' racist death row two years ago, about 60% were African Americans.
Illinois proudly boasts that it is "The Land of Lincoln": President Abraham Lincoln, a resident of Illinois, freed the slaves. In the tradition of Lincoln, Governor Ryan freed over 100 descendants of slaves from Illinois' racist death row. As Dr. King's associate the Reverend Jesse Jackson has persuasively argued, today the administration of the Death Penalty in America is nothing more than a system of "Legal Lynching" (1996) against African Americans and other People of Color. The time has long passed for America to eliminate this racist and barbaric measure of state terrorism directed against African Americans, other People of Color, and poor Whites. Toward that end, George Ryan has performed more effective work against the racist death penalty system in America than the entire American Abolitionist Movement combined. For that reason, he richly deserves to win the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize. Just as the elimination of slavery in America emanated from "The Land of Lincoln," so too the final elimination of the death penalty from America shall be traced back to George Ryan and the State of Illinois.
Professor Boyle may be contacted for comments or interviews at the following:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954 (voice)
217-244-1478 (fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Website: http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/
Ohio: Dianne Abshire – Phone: 419-523-5816 Fax 1-419-538-7273
Germany:Britta Slopianka – Phone: 4193-888-359 . Fax: 4193-888-617
Norway: Sissel Egeland – Phone 47 98622499. Fax: 1-813-354-4809
GEORGE H. RYAN TO BE NOMINATED FOR THE
2004 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
As the deadline approaches for the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize nominations,
Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law and Human Rights at
the University of Illinois, has decided to re-nominate ex Governor George H. Ryan of Illinois.
Professor Boyle nominated Ryan last year and explains
his decision to nominate him again as follows.
"Since retiring as Illinois Governor, George Ryan has launched a one-man crusade
all over the world against the death penalty.
He has probably done more effective work against the death penalty than
all the rest of the American Abolitionists put together"
states Professor Boyle.
After three years of thorough review of all capital cases in his State, George Ryan
declared the capital punishment system
in Illinois "broken", and commuted the sentences of all 167 inmates sitting on
Death Row in Illinois jails on January 11th, 2003.
Since then he has been actively campaigning in the United States and in Europe in
an attempt to bring the use of the death penalty
in the USA to an end.
The Death Penalty is a system, which cannot be fixed. It is broken and flawed.
Human justice will never be infallible.
Ryan has been appointing Honorary Chairman of the European activist group,
Hands off Cain.
In this capacity he lead the campaign
to have the European Parliament petition the United Nations to pass a resolution
demanding that the US stop using Capital Punishment.
Capital Punishment is contrary to all International Human Rights codes
and the USA is the only Western Liberal Democracy
still practicing this Human Rights violation.
The USA kills more of their own citizens in the name of justice than any other country
in the world with the exception of China and Iran.
That fact notwithstanding, the task of bringing this practice
to an end in USA is enormous.
The Campaign to Support George Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize believes
that international support would be an important aid
to help Ryan continue his fight to end the Death Penalty.
George Ryan has shown courage and strength in his continuing struggle.
It is commonly rumored that he was among
the top hand full of finalists for the 2003 award, which was won
by Shirin Ebadi of Iran.
With our support we trust that 2004 will be the year that George Ryan
wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
And the USA is given one more message that
the rest of the democratic world abhors capital punishment.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in MS Word format, please click here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 7, 2003
Nobel Nominee George Ryan active in Europe
George Ryan who is a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded on Friday Oct 10 2003 has been active recently in Europe assisting the abolitionist activist group known as Hands Off Cain to support and promote a resolution to the United Nations calling for a worldwide moratorium on the use of the Death Penalty.
Here is the information from the Hands Off Cain (HOC) web site:
September 30, 2003: the European mission conducted by former governor of Illinois and current Hands Off Cain Honorary President George Ryan, together with Leroy Orange, ex death row inmate who is alive thanks to the moratorium on executions introduced by the governor in his state, came to an end on Monday in Brussels.
In the morning an HOC delegation consisting of President Marco Pannella, Secretary Sergio D’Elia, Treasurer Elisabetta Zamparutti, Board Member Anna Zammit, together with Ryan and Orange, met with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini just before the commencement of the EU General Affairs Council meeting he was to preside over. On the agenda was the European Parliament and Italian Presidency’s proposal of presenting, at the ongoing UN General Assembly, a resolution in favour of a universal moratorium on capital executions.
The HOC delegation later met the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, who gave his support towards Hands Off Cain’s campaign.
“Putting an end to the death penalty is not only an act of prudence, but also one of wisdom,” Prodi said at the end of the meeting.
In the evening Ryan and Orange participated at a conference held at the European Parliament which saw the presentation of the English edition of Hands Off Cain’s 2003 Report: The Death Penalty Worldwide, and the launch of an online signature campaign, aimed at EU Parliamentarians, for a universal moratorium on capital executions.
Both initiatives were sponsored by the European Union.
More information is available on the HOC web site at http://www.handsoffcain.org/. For local information or interviews contact Prof Francis A. Boyle at:
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 2, 2003
Former Gov. Ryan mentioned as possible finalist for Nobel Peace Prize
An Associated Press story out of Oslo Norway reports the following:
“Nobel watchers say there is no clear favorite for this year's prize, but some names bandied about include Pope John Paul II, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Another is former Illinois Gov. George Ryan for emptying his state's death row of 167 inmates.”
George H. Ryan was nominated by Professor Francis Boyle for this years Nobel Peace prize.
The Campaign to support the nomination of George H. Ryan for the Nobel peace prize has collected over 1000 signatures of support from Americans and people around the world on their web site. This document has been filed with the Nobel Peace Prize committee. The list of supporters and their comments are available at
http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/supporters.html.
This weekend at an NAACP conference in Chicago, former Gov. George Ryan of Illinois will receive the prestigious NAACP Humanitarian Award.
Ex Governor Ryan has just returned from a human rights tour of Europe with Hands Off Cain, an abolitionist and human rights action group. Leroy Orange, an innocent man whose confession obtained by torture put him on death row, has been accompanying Ryan. Orange was one of the four inmates set free by Ryan. Ryan and the group held talks with European leaders and the UN who are seeking to have the USA and Japan establish moratorium against the death penalty.
Ryan has travelled and done extensive public speaking since he left office, which has continued to focus attention of the problems with the death Penalty in the US.
Dr. Francis A. Boyle, Professor of International Law and a member of the committee to support Ryan’s Nobel peace Prize nomination is available for comments or interviews. He can be reached at:
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -
January 17, 2003
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Ryan's Nobel Nomination Completed and Filed
January 16, 2003: It is official: George Ryan is now a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. Francis A. Boyle announced "I have today filed the Nomination by fax with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. StopCapitalPunishment.org will now focus its efforts on promoting and lobbying on behalf of Governor Ryan to be awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize."
Francis A. Boyle, Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, a member of the Campaign to nominate George H. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize made good on his promise by completing and filing the nomination papers recommending ex Governor Ryan of Illinois for the Nobel Peace Prize late yesterday.
Professor Boyle noted that "By exposing the inhumanity of capital punishment in the United States, George H. Ryan has, in the words of Alfred Nobel, "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.""
The reasons to which Boyle referred are well documented and many. The highlights are the moratorium on the death penalty that Ryan declared in 2000, culminating with his courageous and historic exonerations of January 10th and the commutation of all the remaining Illinois death row prisoner's sentences on January 11th, just two days before he officially left office.
Ryan's actions have been the subject of both praise and bitter attack. But one thing is certain; the future of the Death Penalty in the United States has been irrevocably changed. George W. Bush who presided over the execution of more people in Texas than any other Governor in history - 156 souls by actual count - was rarely questioned about this in his run for the Presidency. In the aftermath of George Ryan's groundbreaking action it is hard to imagine this ever happening again.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download an Italian Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a Swedish Language version in PDF format, please click here.
7
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 14, 2003
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Ryan Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize - The Canadian Connection
On December 19 the decision was made by Francis A. Boyle, Professor of Law, University of Illinois to nominate the then Governor of Illinois, George H. Ryan for the Nobel peace Prize in recognition of his courageous and ground breaking work on the death penalty. Governor Ryan was scheduled to leave office on January 13, 2003. There was much speculation about whether or not he would exercise his constitutional prerogative and exonerate or commute the sentences of any of the inmates on death row in Illinois.
While the decision had been made to nominate Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize regardless of what he did upon leaving office it was hoped that the campaign would support and encouragement for him to issue a blanket clemency order.
The question was how could the campaign have any impact in such a short time period? The answer appeared to be electronically via the Internet. Bob Wakfer, a human rights activist and life long abolitionist and president of Computer Partners, a Waterloo Ontario web design and web hosting company had the solution. With the assistance of his web master, Marcel Penton a web site was created between 1:00 and 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve.
An ad hoc team of volunteer from around the world was assembled with strong representation from Norway, France, Germany and Italy. A series of Press Releases was immediately distributed by email to media outlets around the world. The first mention of the Campaign and the pending Nomination of Governor Ryan appeared in the State Journal Of Springfield Illinois January 1, 2003. Since then Professor Boyle has given a series of almost non-stop interviews on radio, TV and to newspaper reporters.
The web site, which can be found at http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/ is the heart of this campaign. The press releases have been translated in German, French and Italian and are available for download below. A supporter's page was established, and to date over 600 people from around the world have signed up to indicate their support for Governor Ryan and his nomination.
Links to much of the press coverage can be found on the web site and the full transcript of Ryan's speech in which he commuted the sentences of 167 Death Row inmates is available in English, French and German by clicking here.
This campaign has only been possible thought the use of the Internet and electronic communication. And this has all been made possible by the Canadian connection.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
6
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 12, 2003
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
In the Land of Lincoln Governor Ryan Is a Nobel Successor!
In a much-anticipated speech Saturday, Gov. George H. Ryan today commuted the sentences of all 167 men on Illinois Death Row.
Despite much criticism in the United States, the international media, foreign governments, abolitionists and people around the world are praising the governor’s action as historical, ground breaking and above all courageous. The hope of much of the rest of the world is that Governor Ryan's speech, may signal the beginning of the end for the Death Penalty in the United States.
Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law at the University of Illinois will nominate Gov. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize. He has discussed the Governor's courage and commitment to justice in several media interviews over the past week. Professor Boyle has issued the following statement:
"As a long-time abolitionist I must state in all honesty that during the past three years Illinois Governor George Ryan has done more effective work against the death penalty than all of us American abolitionists put together. That is precisely why I am going to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize as soon as we can put the nomination papers together."
Francis A. Boyle
Professor of International Law
Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1988-92)
Ryan’s three years of activism, concluding as it has with the exoneration and blanket clemency decisions of the last couple of days places him in a unique and special category as a fighter for civil and human rights, justice and equality. We at http://www.StopCapitalPunishment.org believe that he is an outstanding candidate to be awarded a Nobel Laureate. It is our intention to promote him, support him and lobby for him until the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.
We invite all like-minded people to join us in this pursuit.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 9, 2003
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Death Penalty-Fighting Gov Deserves Nobel
New York Newsday, New York, NY
Sheryl McCarthy
Newsday, a major daily of the New York Metro area, published an article today supporting the nomination of Gov. George Ryan of Illinois for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms. Sheryl McCarthy of Newsday wrote: "Ryan caused a nationwide stir in January 2000, when he put a halt to executions in Illinois until the state could study how they were being administered. The reason? Illinois had exonerated more death row inmates in the 23 years since capital punishment became legal again than it had executed. "Until I can be sure that everyone sentenced to death in Illinois is truly guilty, until I can be sure with moral certainty that no innocent man or woman is facing a lethal injection, no one will meet that fate," Ryan declared."
Professor Francis Boyle told the author yesterday (Jan. 8th) that "George Ryan has done more to stop the death penalty here in the United States in the last three years than all of us abolitionists put together. It's Gov. Ryan, a conservative Republican, who has opened up this debate." A committee headed by the University of Illinois law professor says it plans to nominate Illinois Gov. George Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize this year because of his "heroic" and "principled" stand on the death penalty.
"Until I can be sure that everyone sentenced to death in Illinois is truly guilty, until I can be sure with moral certainty that no innocent man or woman is facing a lethal injection, no one will meet that fate," Ryan declared in January 2000, when he declared a moratorium on executions in Illinois.
Ms. McCarthy states: "Gov. Ryan's decision was gutsy, especially since he doesn't oppose the death penalty on its face - just the application of it in a classist, racist way that gives a fair shake only to those who can afford to hire good lawyers. Illinois' moratorium made people all over the country take another look at how the death penalty was being applied. Whatever he decides, he's already taken a giant step toward eliminating the death penalty - an archaic, inhumane and capricious punishment in the world's most powerful country. Lots of people have won prizes for doing less."
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download an Italian Language version in PDF format, please click here.
4
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 9, 2003
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Pope issues Plea to Governor Ryan for Blanket Clemency
Apostolic Nunciature
United States of America
22 August 2002
N. 15997/3424Dear Governor Ryan,
I am writing to you as the Official Representative of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II here in the United States of America. The Holy Father has happily noted that you have declared a moratorium on the executions of inmates on death row in the State of Illinois. For this, He is most grateful and would like to express His heartfelt support and blessings. The moratorium on the executions is a very positive step towards a culture of life and of non-violence. I am sure you are aware of the Holy Father's commitment to upholding the sacredness and dignity of each human life, from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. For this reason He has made many appeals to Heads of Governments, particularly in the United States, for the eventual abolition of the death penalty. The Holy Father would therefore like to ask you to take another step in the defense of life by commuting all death sentences into life in prison without the possibility of parole within the State of Illinois. It is my sincere hope that you will give need to this urgent petition. Before I conclude, I would like to humbly include my personal greetings and I assure you of my prayers, for you, for your family and for the exercise of your important responsibilities.
Respectfully and truly yours,
[Signed]
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download an Italian Language version in PDF format, please click here.
3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 6, 2003
Web Site created and launched to support an International Campaign to Nominate Governor Ryan for Nobel Peace Prize. See http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2002, a web site was launched as the communication center and focal point of this worldwide campaign. This campaign may be unique because to date none of the committee or volunteers has met face to face. The campaign has been planned and run exclusively via email and other Internet technologies. The web site is the voluntary contribution of Bob Wakfer, a Canadian, and is maintained by Wakfer and other members of his staff in Waterloo Ontario.
This International Campaign and the Nomination of Governor George H. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize is the Brain Child of Francis A. Boyle, Professor of Law, University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign and a member of the Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1988-92). Professor Boyle conceived the idea upon attending a speech against the death penalty given by Governor George H. Ryan on Dec. 19 at his Law School. The idea for the campaign was presented to a small but international group of abolitionist volunteers who started work immediately.
The Campaign's first Press Release was posted on the web site on December 31. The volunteers emailed copies of the press release to media outlets in the US and around the World. The Press Release has been translated into German, French and Italian and these versions as well as the original English are available for electronic download below. Click here to view. Interviews and news stories started immediately. Links to the Internet copies of these stories are posted to the site daily.
In addition a Supporters Sign Up page was placed on the site. People are invited to show their support for this campaign by leaving their names and addresses and a message of support if they wish. People from all over the World as well as the United States have indicated their support both for the Campaign and for Blanket Clemency for the inmates of Death Row in Illinois. There are supporters from Great Britain and virtually every European country as well as from Canada and the United States. One of the more notable supporters to sign up is Mike Farrell, of M*A*S*H fame. To date more than 200 people have taken the time to indicate their support on the web site.
After only 12 days the site has had more than 1100 unique visitors from 31 different countries.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - DECEMBER 31, 2002
BY THE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE H. RYAN FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Contact: mailto:committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org
George H. Ryan to be nominated by Campaign Committee Member Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law at the University of Illinois. Press conference to be held at the Illinois State Capitol Press Room on Monday, January 6, 2003, at 1 P.M.
As the January 13, 2003 deadline approaches an international campaign has begun to nominate Gov. George Ryan of Illinois for the Nobel Peace Prize. Gov. Ryan known for his imposition of a moratorium of the death penalty in Illinois has been lauded for his courage and public outrage at the number of wrongful capital convictions in his state.
Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the Univ. of Chicago, Champaign, said "As a Professor of International Law and Human Rights, I will nominate Illinois Governor George Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize because of his principled and courageous opposition to the racist and class-based death penalty system that we have here in the State of Illinois, the Land of Abraham Lincoln. George Ryan is a worthy successor."
Professor Boyle will officially nominate Gov. Ryan for the prize.
Katie Williams, an American member of the Campaign to support the Nomination of Governor George H. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize, stresses the courage that it took to impose the moratorium and the additional commitment to justice that it will take to commute the sentences of those on Illinois' death row. "The struggle to abolish the death penalty in America is a fight that has been fought for many years and on many fronts. Gov. Ryan's courage in confronting the inequities in the imposition of the death penalty and his sincere desire to see justice done for all in the state of Illinois is a beacon of hope."
In Norway Sissel Egeland urges Scandinavians to stay updated about the enormous personal effort Governor Ryan has made to end the flaws in the death penalty system to secure that innocent persons will not be executed. "The moratorium has inspired Americans to end the inhuman death penalty system and to join the rest of the world in the care for human rights and justice. A nomination of Governor Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize will send an important message to the international society that the use of the death penalty shall now be ancient history and unite Europeans and courageous Americans to stand up for ethics and human rights in all international relations."
Prior to the Illinois General Assembly resuming its work later that afternoon, Professor Boyle will conduct a Press Conference at the Illinois State Capitol Press Room on Monday, January 6, 2003, at 1 P.M. to announce the Nobel Peace Prize Nomination and Campaign for Governor Ryan. Springfield is the Capital of the State of Illinois.
The campaign is supported by a very active web site that can be found at http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/. The web site is both a resource to anyone wanting to know more about Governor Ryan's achievements and a bulletin board for all the latest developments in the campaign. Press releases and other resources for the media and press will be available there. It is interesting to note that although the site has only been available on the Internet since late on Christmas Eve afternoon that at the time of writing -- December 30 at 8:00 pm -- there have already been 100 people who have voluntarily signed up on the web site as supporters of the campaign.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francis A. Boyle
Law Building
504 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
217-333-7954(voice)
217-244-1478(fax)
fboyle@law.uiuc.edu
Sissel Egeland
Norway
Phone: 47- 51587350 ( Norway )
Fax: 1-813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from Europe
Fax : 813-354-4809 ( Florida ) from US
denmark@online.no
Katie Williams
2 Boiceville Rd
Brooktondale, NY 14817
Phone: 607-539-7537
kaw34@CORNELL.EDU
Rick Halperin
Human Rights; History Professor, Southern Methodist University, Dallas,
Texas; Board of Directors, Amnesty International USA (1989-1995, Board
Chair, 1992-93); President, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death
Penalty (2000-present)
SMU PO Box 750172
Dallas, Texas 75275
Phone: 214-768-3284
Fax: 214-768-3475
rhalperi@mail.smu.edu
Bob Wakfer
105 Greenbrier Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada
Phone: 519-746-1607
Fax : 519-746-7566
bob@compar.com
You can also contact us at committee@stopcapitalpunishment.org.
To download this English Language press release in PDF format, please click here.
To download a French Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download a German Language version in PDF format, please click here.
To download an Italian Language version in PDF format, please click here.
1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., and families of Inmates on Illinois
Death Row Visit the Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, Illinois
on New Year's Eve
(Chicago, IL, December 30, 2002) Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.,
founder and president of The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, together with
family members of Death Row Inmates, and a delegation of death
penalty activists will visit inmates convicted under Illinois capital
punishment laws on the last day of the year.
Illinois Governor George Ryan brought heightened awareness to the
issue of disparities in the convictions, sentences, and execution of
the death penalty in America when he set a moratorium on the
implementation of the death penalty within the state. In Illinois, 13
men sentenced to death were found to be wrongfully convicted.
Reverend Jackson and the delegation are calling for Governor Ryan to
grant clemency to all Illinois Death Row inmates prior to leaving
office on January 13, 2002.
"The reality is that the death penalty is a human rights issue," said
Rev. Jackson. "Unlike other less civilized‚ nations, the United
States maintains a system of legal lynching, notwithstanding the
mental condition of the convicted, or the adequacy of legal
representation afforded the accused. America braggadociously boasts
of moral authority, yet a glaring chink in the American armor is the
death penalty."
Joining Reverend Jackson will be Alice Kim and Marlene Martin of the
Campaign to End the Death Penalty and Rob Warden of Northwestern
University's Center on Wrongful Convictions. The delegation will meet
with Illinois Death Row inmates, including the "Death Row 10," a
group of African American men tortured by former Chicago Police
Commander Jon Burge and his detectives.
Reverend Jackson and the delegation will arrive at Pontiac at 11:00
AM. Following the visit, there will be a press conference, outside
the front gate of the Correctional Center, beginning at 12:30 PM.
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