February 1, 2006

International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity by the Bush Administration
305 West Broadway, #199, New York, NY 10013
PRESS CONTACT: Heather Hurwitz 440-478-0165 COMMISSION OFFICE: 212-941-8086
@nion.us
www.bushcommission.org

WHERE: Lisagor Room, National Press Club, Washington, DC, WHEN: Feb. 2, 9:30am<7i>

The International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity by the Bush Administration will present its preliminary findings on whether the Bush Administration has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. Its areas of indictment are: 1) war, 2) torture, 3) global environment, 4) global health, and 5) the administration’s response to Katrina.

Presenting findings will be members of the panel of jurists Abdeen Jabara, former President, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Ajamu Sankofa, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility-NY and Ann Wright, former US diplomat and retired US Army Reserve Colonel, and Commission Convener C. Clark Kissinger. Other Commission witnesses and participants will be present, as will representatives of government and public organizations to receive the findings..

The findings are based on extensive preparatory research and testimony documenting (morally, politically and legally) criminal acts and policies allegedly perpetrated by President Bush and his administration from 44 prominent experts, former US and UK officials, and eye-witnesses, taken at the Commission’s October 21-22, 2005 and January 20-22, 2006 hearings in New York City.

Commission participants include: Harry Belafonte, Craig Murray, Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, Scott Ritter, Denis Halliday, Dr. Alan Berkman, Vanessa Brocato, Marjorie Cohn, Naina Dhingra, King Downing, Lindsey German, Ted Glick, Dahr Jamail, C. Clark Kissinger, Chokwe Lumumba, Ray McGovern,, Barbara Olshansky, Michael Ratner, Jeremy Scahill, Ida Susser, David Swanson, Emma Lofton Woods, Beverly Wright, Daphne Wysham, and many others.

The Commission will later issue detailed findings, accompanied by full documentation. Video and audio transcripts will be posted as available. Contact Commission for interviews with participants.

The Commission of Inquiry was organized by the Not in Our Name Statement of Conscience and is endorsed by: Center for Constitutional Rights, National Lawyers Guild, After DowningStreet.org and others, including Former Sen. James Abourezk, former British MP Tony Benn, authors Gore Vidal and Howard Zinn, poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and actor Edward Asner.

"When the possibility of far-reaching war crimes and crimes against humanity exists, people of conscience have a solemn responsibility to inquire into the nature and scope of these acts, and to determine if they do in fact rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity." Commission Charter

Charter, indictments, standards for judgment, findings and audio and video coverage: http://www.bushcommission.org