Rendition Monologues
iceandfire Actors for Human Rights performance
When -
Wednesday 23. July from 7:30pm until 10:00 pm
.
Where - Sallis Benney Theatre, University of Brighton, Grand Parade .
Organised by - Save Omar (now called Brighton Against Guantanamo), Brighton Voices in Exile and Centre for Applied Philiosophy, Politics and Ethics (University of Brighton).
Actors for Human Rights
Rendition Monologues
WHEN: Wednesday, July 23 @ 7:30pm.
WHERE: Sallis Benney Theatre, Universityof Brighton, 58-64 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 2JY
TICKETS: £5 and available on the door.
Performance hosted by Brighton Voices in Exile/BrightonAgainst Guantanamo Campaign andsponsored by University of Brighton's Centre for Applied politics, Philosophyand Ethics (CAPPE)
'You are in a land where there are no laws. Do youknow what that means? We can bury you or keep you in this prison for 20 yearsand nobody on earth would ever know.'
Rendition Monologues weaves together the first-hand testimonies of victims of extraordinary rendition; the kidnapping and illegaltransfer of terrorism suspects and others considered to be implicated in the‘War on Terror’ to be interrogated in nation states with a reputation fortorture. A long list of nations, including the UK, have colluded in theserendition flights. As the truth begins to filter out about this issue, we hope thatRendition Monologues can contribute to a full reckoning over human rightsabuses committed in the name of the 'War on Terror'.
Speaking about Rendition Monologues, Clive Stafford Smith, Director of Reprieve said: 'If anyone doubts the shocking reality of rendition, they should seethis performance. The word 'rendition' sounds innocuous enough, but what itactually means is kidnapping and torture, without any kind of legal processwhatsoever. Reprieve’s client, Binyam Mohamed – one of several prisoners whosestories are brought to life in this piece – knows all about rendition’s trueface. Sent to Morocco by the Americans, he confessed to all manner of crimes,but only after 18 months of torture, when he repeatedly had his penis cut witha razor.'
Bisher Al-Rawi, ex Gunatanamo prisonerand rendition victim: 'Really, I am almost lost for words. The show was really very moving, scarily so. The performance reallybrought it home. I was very, very impressed with the performance - it was verypowerful.. I was almost living through their experiences and mine as well. Ihope everyone here found it as effective and revealing as I did.'
iceandfire creates compelling theatre making real and relevant the impact of human rightsissues on our everyday lives. Rendition Monologues is performed by members of their national outreach network, Actors for Human Rights, whose first production Asylum Monologues has been seen by almost 10,000 people all over theUK. Rendition Monologues was launched in June 2008 and is available uponrequest through Actors for Human Rights.
Reprieve uses the law to enforce the human rights of prisoners, from death row to GuantánamoBay. Reprieve investigates, litigates and educates, working on the frontline, to provide legal support to prisoners unable to pay for it themselves. Theorganization promotes the rule of law around the world, securing each person’sright to a fair trial and saving lives. Clive Stafford Smith is the founder ofReprieve and has spent 25 years working on behalf of people facing the deathpenalty in the USA and now represents 35 prisoners held in Guantánamo Bay.
contact(s) - Brighton Voices in Exile: 01273 328 598 or Brighton Against Guantanamo info@save-omar.org.uk.
