Press Release
Published on January 21, 2010
(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
