John Walker Lindh’s only legal recourse at this juncture is the President’s pardon power. John has asked the President of the United States for a commutation of his sentence: That would be an early release from the twenty-year prison sentence. John has now served six years in prison. His petition asks the President simply to release him at this point. It does not request a pardon from any charges.
John’s attorneys point to the fact that other young men in very similar circumstances to John’s have already been released and sent home to their parents. Yasir Hamdi is one such case. He survived the same massacre of prisoners where John was. He was apprehended exactly on the same day that John was. Yasir Hamdi is a Saudi Arabian and had at the time dual US citizenship so he was brought back to the United States. His case eventually went to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court held that the government had to give Mr. Hamdi some sort of a hearing in order to determine whether he was a so-called “enemy combatant” or not. Then the United States Government, after the Supreme Court decision, simply released Hamdi and sent him home without any charges whatsoever. Hamdi is now free and living with his family in Saudi Arabia.
Another case that John’s attorneys have cited is the case of David Hicks. He is a young Australian who was picked up in Afghanistan in December 2001. Hicks last March, March 2007, negotiated a plea bargain before a military tribunal in Guantanamo Bay. Under his plea bargain David Hicks was sent home to Australia. He served only nine months of imprisonment there and has now been released to his family. So based on the disparate outcome there, where John received a twenty-year prison sentence, and these other two individuals have been sent home to their families after a relatively short time, based on that disparity and outcome, John has requested that the President commute his sentence and allow him to come home to his family.
TAKE ACTION FOR JOHN!
1. Sign the Petition
See also: Free John Walker Lindh
2. Write to President Bush
Hon. George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
A sample letter has been provided below.
__________
Hon. George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Re: John Walker Lindh – Request for Commutation of Sentence
Dear Mr. President:
I write to ask that you please commute John Walker Lindh’s sentence, and allow him to go home to his family.
The court record in John Lindh’s case proves that he did not fight against Americans in Afghanistan, and that he had absolutely no involvement with terrorism. He said at his sentencing hearing that he condemns terrorism unequivocally.
It is clear, with the benefit of hindsight, that the 20?year sentence imposed on John Lindh for serving in the Taliban army prior to 9/11 was harsh and excessive. John has now been in prison for nearly seven years. No purpose is served by his continued imprisonment.
All this considered, I ask you to use the power given to you to release this young man from bondage.
There is a common misconception that doing what is right entails sacrifice and brings loss. Doing what is right is hard, no doubt, and requires much inner strength. But it also brings ease and improves, not only the person’s inner state, but their surrounding environment as well. What is more, it raises their renown in their own lifetimes and in succeeding generations.
So, I ask you, human to human, to please bring some ease to the world by freeing John Lindh. I assure you, as a result, your renown will be raised.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
3. Send a Message of Support
Due to a government order, John Walker Lindh can only receive mail from his family and attorneys at the present time.
However if you wish to send a message of support to John’s family, please email us at contact@cageprisoners.com
