“A man dies from prostate cancer every 16 minutes in this country.  Why does my brother have to wait over a year to receive even a diagnosis?”

Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who maintains his innocence, was wrongfully convicted in connection with the shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1977.  Imprisoned for 35 years—currently at the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania—Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International.  Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, 55 Members of Congress and others—including a judge who sat as a member of the court in two of Peltier’s appeals—have all called for his immediate release.  Widely recognized for his humanitarian works and a six-time Nobel Prize nominee, Peltier also is an accomplished author and painter.

Sister Betty Solano says Peltier began exhibiting symptoms commonly attributed to prostate cancer over a year ago.  His age (he is 66 years old) and family history are risk factors for the disease.  Pressured by Peltier’s attorneys, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) ran standard blood tests in June.  Peltier received the results last week, over four months later.  A physician only now says a biopsy is needed to make a diagnosis.

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 men in the United States.  Medical experts agree that the cure rate for prostate cancer is high, but only if detected early.

Even if Peltier doesn’t have cancer, the symptoms indicate a serious medical condition and one that could lead to serious complications if left untreated.

A physician who conducted an independent review of Peltier’s medical records in 2000 concluded that Peltier’s overall medical treatment is below a reasonable standard of care.  Decades ago, Peltier suffered a stroke which left him nearly blind in one eye—damage physicians say could have been prevented had he been treated sooner.  In the 1990s, there was international outrage after the BOP botched surgeries to correct a jaw problem.  Only then was Peltier transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for treatment.  Subsequent procedures were recommended by a specialist, but never performed by the BOP.

“Last week, at the United Nations, the United States claimed that it is unequivocally committed to the humane treatment of all individuals in detention, including criminal detention.  Delaying tests, avoiding a diagnosis, and preventing proper medical treatment for a potentially life threatening disease is not humane by anyone’s definition,” a spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee said.

“Unfortunately, this situation isn’t unique to Mr. Peltier.  Many U.S. prisoners die prematurely because treatment is delayed or denied.”

Family members want the government to release Peltier who was denied parole in 2009.  His North Dakota tribe has twice passed a resolution asking the government to transfer Peltier into their custody.  Peltier’s many supporters believe his release from prison is the only way Peltier will receive humane treatment.

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Launched into cyberspace by the
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND  58106
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

Today, the United States submitted to a review by the United Nations Human Rights Council as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), an assessment of a government’s compliance with human rights obligations.  The Council reviews each member nation every four years. This was the United States’ first review. Representatives from the U.S. presented its report and answered questions from the Council and UN member nations.

Native Americans have eagerly awaited a sign that the U.S. has listened to their concerns about the Peltier case, but were disappointed to see no mention of it in the U.S. report.

“A good place for the U.S. to have started was to simply acknowledge that politically motivated prosecutions are a reality in the U.S.,” said a spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee, one of 300 human rights organizations that contributed to a stakeholders report submitted to the Council.

An innocent man, Native American activist Leonard Peltier was wrongfully convicted in connection with the 1975 shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.  Tried separately, his co-defendants were found not guilty by reason of self-defense.

“With no evidence whatsoever, the FBI decided to ‘lock Peltier into the case’. Government officials presented false statements to a Canadian court to extradite Peltier to the U.S. where prosecutors went judge shopping and venue hopping to secure a conviction.  In a racially charged courtroom, prosecutors lied to the judge, ignored court orders, and made inappropriate statements to the jury.  They intentionally hid evidence of Peltier’s innocence and instead manufactured a ‘murder weapon’.  As the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has noted, ‘these facts are not disputed’.”

Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International.  Various governments and dignitaries—including Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, as well as the late Mother Theresa— have called for his release.

In addition to working to win Peltier’s freedom, the LPDOC advocates for Indigenous rights, overall criminal justice reform, and the abolishment of the death penalty.

“Frankly, we consider the long-term imprisonment of Leonard Peltier in the harshest of conditions, and repeated denials of parole despite his having met all eligibility requirements, a de facto death sentence.”

Imprisoned for nearly 35 years, Peltier was denied parole in 2009.

“The guarantee of a fair trial is recognized as fundamental—not only in the U.S., but also by the signatory nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This case exemplifies how the U.S. government is willing to use its judicial system as an instrument of revenge and a tool of political repression against those who dare to criticize the domestic and foreign policies of the United States.”

Demonstrations in support of Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners occurred today at U.S. court houses and U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide.

The LPDOC pledges to continue its work to hold the U.S. government accountable and see that UPR recommendations are fully implemented.

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Submission to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Ninth Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) Working Group on the UPR 22 November-3 December 2010. Stakeholder Submission by the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee:  http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/UPRSubmission.pdf.

US Versus Leonard Peltier: Evidence of a Wrongful Conviction.  From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:  http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/CriticalFBIDocs.pdf.