Rights Groups, Celebs Push Tech Envelope to Send Message on Gitmo

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(Washington, DC – January 21, 2010) Human Rights First and a coalition of more than a dozen national security and human rights organizations today launched a major Twitter campaign designed to focus attention on the need to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo, end indefinite detention, and try terrorist suspects in federal courts.

Thousands of Americans from all walks of life – including members of the music group Coldplay, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Roseanne Cash – are today showing their support of the President's commitment to closing the Guantanamo facility by tweeting a common hash tag (#closegitmo). The campaign will demonstrate to the Administration, Congress, and other policy makers that the support for this effort remains strong despite fearmongering tactics designed to derail the President's plans.

The initiative is centralized on Twitter, where organizations and participants (partial list below) are using a common hash tag (#closegitmo) to amplify each others' messages and create a vehicle for grassroots support for closing Guantanamo. The goal is to make the "#closegitmo" a trending topic for the day – creating discussion and showing support. Organizations have rallied behind a common graphic image – which they have spread through Facebook and Twitter to brand the effort.

Human Rights First is spearheading two Twitter petitions as part of this effort using the innovative act.ly tool linked to Twitter. The first action targets the White House and the second is aimed at Senator-elect Scott Brown. The organization has also launched a web video echoing the message, urging people to sign on to its petition, and asking its online supporters to donate to place the video on the air.

Participating Organizations

New Security Action

Amnesty International USA

Human Rights Watch

American Civil Liberties Union

Physicians for Human Rights

MoveOn.org

Human Rights First

Common Cause

Constitution Project

Alliance for Justice

VoteVets.org

Center for Constitutional Justice

National Association of Criminal Defense    Lawyers

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Bill of Rights Defense Committee

Rethink Media

National Security Network

Progressive Democrats of America

Democrats.com

World Can’t Wait

Participating Musicians

Coldplay

Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)

Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)

EMI Worldwide

Rosanne Cash

Henry Rollins

Anti-Flag

State Radio

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