via Rocketboom

more at artnet, and the Brooklyn Paper

via Rocketboom more at artnet, and the Brooklyn Paper

I received word from James via an email forwarded from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. They visited him on Friday and report that he is in good health and eager to get back home. He was arrested 5 days ago in Beijing for “upsetting public order” and is now serving 10 days for suspicion of activities in regards to his affiliation with the organization Students for a Free Tibet. He has not been formally charged through the judicial system and should not be subject to further judicial proceedings. According to the authorities he will be released Aug. 30th and allowed to depart China. The Embassy stated that it continues to advocate on his behalf at the highest levels and monitors his case around the clock.

UPDATE
James Powderly and 7 other US citizens detained in China have been released and are on their way to the US. They should arrive in Los Angeles around 6 PM Pacific time. Thanks to Senator Clinton, Representative Velazquez, Senator Lautenberg, and Ambassador Randt for advocating for James and his early release. Also big ups to all of our friends that have sent supportive messages and helped in contacting elected officials. Stay tuned for more info from James about his stay at Chong Wen Detention House.

I received word from James via an email forwarded from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. They visited him on Friday and report that he is in good health and eager to get back home. He was arrested 5 days ago in Beijing for "upsetting public order" and is now serving 10 days for suspicion of activities in regards to his affiliation with the organization Students for a Free Tibet. He has not been formally charged through the judicial system and should not be subject to further judicial proceedings. According to the authorities he will be released Aug. 30th and allowed to depart China. The Embassy stated that it continues to advocate on his behalf at the highest levels and monitors his case around the clock. UPDATE James Powderly and 7 other US citizens detained in China have been released and are on their way to the US. They should arrive in Los Angeles around 6 PM Pacific time. Thanks to Senator Clinton, Representative Velazquez, Senator Lautenberg, and Ambassador Randt for advocating for James and his early release. Also big ups to all of our friends that have sent supportive messages and helped in contacting elected officials. Stay tuned for more info from James about his stay at Chong Wen Detention House.

No big news to report, but James has been visited by the US Embassy and it sounds like he is safe and doing okay. This was the first time anyone from the US had seen or heard from James in 4 days so it is a relief.

UPDATE 8/23:
Apparently James was detained while asleep in his hotel. (Oops maybe we should let James tell the story. The embassy has told us that he was at his hotel.) I have to imagine that was a pretty scary experience. The consul, by treaty, can only visit US citizens once per month, so they cannot go and visit James again. I hope that China decides to release all of the US citizens before 10 days.

Students for a Free Tibet are planning some events this weekend in NY:

This weekend in New York City, Students for a Free Tibet in conjunction with other Tibet Support Groups and local Tibetan communities are hosting a weekend of events to mark the end of the Beijing Olympics and continue the call for Tibetan freedom and human rights. This weekend’s events will be an opportunity to show solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet, to support the ten brave SFT activists that remain in “administrative custody” in Beijing, and to project the message declared by Alice Speller (former National Coordinator of SFT UK) during a press conference in Beijing on August 22nd, that “This is not the end of our campaign, this is only the beginning.”

Address of the Chinese Consulate: 520 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036
Address of the United Nations: 42nd St and 1st Ave

August 23, 2008
At the Chinese Consulate:

10:00AM – Tibetan National Anthem
10:05AM – Tibetan Uprising Song
10:10AM – Word of truth
10:20AM – Speeches (TWA, TA)
10:20AM – Protest
12:30PM – lunch
1:30PM – Human chain formation starts
2:30PM – 3:00PM – HUMAN CHAIN

At Times Square:
3:30PM – Wangchuk Shakabpa
3:40PM – Zurkhang Karma Gyatso
4:00PM – Sean Su
4:100PM – RTYC Rep

Aug 24, 2008
At the United Nations:
11:00AM – gathering
11:30AM – Tibetan National Anthem, uprising song, words of truth
12:00PM – 1:00PM – lunch
1:00PM – Reception for protestors deported from Beijing
1:30PM – Introduction Speech by Tsering Palden
1:40PM – Wie Jiangsheng
2:00PM – Uyghur Rabiya Kadeer
4:00PM – March Starts from UN

At the Chinese consulate:
5:00PM – Slogans at the Chinese Consulate
5:05PM – Rajiv Malhotra
5:15PM – Bob Thurman
5:30PM – Rangzen Song
5:35PM – Thank You Speech
5:40PM – Rangzen Flame Lightning Ceremony

No big news to report, but James has been visited by the US Embassy and it sounds like he is safe and doing okay. This was the first time anyone from the US had seen or heard from James in 4 days so it is a relief. UPDATE 8/23: Apparently James was detained while asleep in his hotel. (Oops maybe we should let James tell the story. The embassy has told us that he was at his hotel.) I have to imagine that was a pretty scary experience. The consul, by treaty, can only visit US citizens once per month, so they cannot go and visit James again. I hope that China decides to release all of the US citizens before 10 days. Students for a Free Tibet are planning some events this weekend in NY: This weekend in New York City, Students for a Free Tibet in conjunction with other Tibet Support Groups and local Tibetan communities are hosting a weekend of events to mark the end of the Beijing Olympics and continue the call for Tibetan freedom and human rights. This weekend's events will be an opportunity to show solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet, to support the ten brave SFT activists that remain in "administrative custody" in Beijing, and to project the message declared by Alice Speller (former National Coordinator of SFT UK) during a press conference in Beijing on August 22nd, that "This is not the end of our campaign, this is only the beginning." Address of the Chinese Consulate: 520 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036 Address of the United Nations: 42nd St and 1st Ave August 23, 2008 At the Chinese Consulate: 10:00AM – Tibetan National Anthem 10:05AM – Tibetan Uprising Song 10:10AM – Word of truth 10:20AM – Speeches (TWA, TA) 10:20AM – Protest 12:30PM – lunch 1:30PM – Human chain formation starts 2:30PM – 3:00PM – HUMAN CHAIN At Times Square: 3:30PM – Wangchuk Shakabpa 3:40PM – Zurkhang Karma Gyatso 4:00PM – Sean Su 4:100PM – RTYC Rep Aug 24, 2008 At the United Nations: 11:00AM – gathering 11:30AM – Tibetan National Anthem, uprising song, words of truth 12:00PM – 1:00PM – lunch 1:00PM – Reception for protestors deported from Beijing 1:30PM – Introduction Speech by Tsering Palden 1:40PM – Wie Jiangsheng 2:00PM – Uyghur Rabiya Kadeer 4:00PM – March Starts from UN At the Chinese consulate: 5:00PM – Slogans at the Chinese Consulate 5:05PM – Rajiv Malhotra 5:15PM – Bob Thurman 5:30PM – Rangzen Song 5:35PM – Thank You Speech 5:40PM – Rangzen Flame Lightning Ceremony

From Students for a Free Tibet. Read more on their site including what you can do.

BREAKING NEWS – August 21 – 11PM Beijing: Six foreigners given 10 days’ detention

BEIJING (AFP) — Beijing police said Thursday it had handed out 10-day detention terms to six foreigners believed by an overseas activist group to be pro-Tibet campaigners involved in Olympic protests this week.

Statement from James before he was arrested (starts about 1 minute in)

From Students for a Free Tibet. Read more on their site including what you can do. BREAKING NEWS - August 21 - 11PM Beijing: Six foreigners given 10 days’ detention BEIJING (AFP) — Beijing police said Thursday it had handed out 10-day detention terms to six foreigners believed by an overseas activist group to be pro-Tibet campaigners involved in Olympic protests this week. Statement from James before he was arrested (starts about 1 minute in)

Tonight WBAI did a brief interview with Michelle Kempner about James’ detention in China. There’s really not any new info to report yet, but here’s the segment none the less…

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Hopefully Senator Clinton remembers meeting James and can get some traction with the State Department…

Tonight WBAI did a brief interview with Michelle Kempner about James' detention in China. There's really not any new info to report yet, but here's the segment none the less... [audio:http://fffff.at/wp-content/audio/michelle-kempner.mp3] michelle-kempner Hopefully Senator Clinton remembers meeting James and can get some traction with the State Department...

All proceeds will go towards getting James hella drunk when he gets back.

All proceeds will go towards getting James hella drunk when he gets back.