TV on Prague March

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Free Peltier!

Transcript of the TV Reportage on Leonard Peltier March in Prague, Czech Republic

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Recently created LPSG Czech Republic had organized a Peltier March in Prague on December 10 in solidarity with the LPDC's Peltier Clemency March in New York and other Marches that took place on the same day. You can see the pictures from the Prague March. Our Peltier's March had an unexpected medial success. Czech TV3 - one of the main private TV stations covering a major part of the Czech Republic transmitted in the Prime News a very good reportage from the event (2 minutes) including the main factual info about the case, Leonard's portraits and paintings, presenting the case as a flagrant example of US injustice and putting it into the context of US presidential elections and speaking about Wild Horse's petition and the New York March. It passed as second info of the news block and it was retransmitted at 10 P.M. and still twice in the morning of the following day.

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Transcript of the reportage aired on the Czech private television station TV3

Translated transcript of the reportage aired on the Czech private television station TV3 covering most of the country's territory on December 10, 2000 at 7 P.M. (retransmitted on 10 P.M. and twice on the morning of the following day) as the second segment of evening news.

Title: PETITION

Moderator:
The Betlemske Square was filled up with Prague Indian supporters today. Through today's happening they wanted to show their support to the release of the American Indian activist Leonard Peltier. He has been held in prison for 24 years already for having allegedly participated to the murder of two FBI agents on the territory of Indian reservation of Pine Ridge. A protest march supporting a request for clemency for this political prisoner is going to take place in New York today. The request was addressed to US President Bill Clinton.

Title: Free the Indian!

Moderator:
About 70 Prague Indian supporters expressed their solidarity with 56 years old Leonard Peltier in a protest action accompanied by drumming and singing. In spite of the long distance between Prague and the United States, the activists would like to support his release at least by the means of this happening.

Zdenek Nozir, Indian supporter:
Of course, we would be very glad if it would be heard over there…

Mirek Vodrazka, Indian supporter:
Theory of the Chaos says that often all what you need is one blow of butterfly's wings - it means that even small movements might have a great impact…

Reporter:
Prague Indian supporters believe that the process of Leonard Peltier was manipulated and unfair. He was sentenced for the alleged murder of two FBI agents to two consecutive life sentences in order to make sure that he never gets out of prison.

Robert Bartak, Indian supporter:
I just want to show to the people that the reality in the United States is different from all that stuff that we can see on the TV.

Vratislav Jezek, Indian supporter:
All the evidence, which could prove his innocence, was concealed. And since, he is in the prison and there is no force, which could get him out.

Reporter:
The release of this political prisoner also depends on the result of the presidential election in the USA. George W. Bush would not grant him clemency, it seems.

Bushka Bryndova, organizer of the protest action:
If Leonard Peltier is not granted clemency before the end of Clinton's mandate, then with respect to his age and a critical health condition, there is a high probability that he dies in prison.

Reporter:
The petition in support of his release has already been signed by more than 15 000 people from around the world. There are about hundred signatures from the Czech Republic until present. For the Metropolitan Express - Tereza Krasenska.

The reportage was illustrated with Peltier's portraits, paintings and the logo of the AIM.

By coincidence, the US Ambassador in Prague John Shattuck had given a speech on human rights on the same day. Yes, a very good and moving speech about heroic efforts of human rights defenders and US government's and people's efforts in this area. Saying, how important the human rights organizations were for the process of building of democracy in our country. I just hope that he will prove his sincerity transmitting my letter to the White House. That's also one of the things he's paid for from your tax money, isn't he? I also wrote him a personal letter asking him to support Peltier's clemency as a former human rights activist (he served as Vice Chair of the United States Section of Amnesty International, and as an Executive Committee member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights).

Pictures from our Prague March

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