Get on the Bus 2010 Flier and updates!

Hey GOTB followers, print and circulate this puppy as you see fit!

Some background on this year's issues:

• J.S. Tissainayagam, also known as "Tissa," is a journalist who has suffered persecution and imprisonment for nearly two years. Under the Sri Lankan Prevention of Terrorism Act, two articles by the journalist criticizing the government's conduct in war against the Tamil Tigers were used to convict and sentence him to 30 years hard labor. In May of 2009, President Barack Obama specified Tissa as an "emblematic example" of the unfortunate truth of mistreatment of journalists. Amnesty seeks not only Tissa's unconditional release, but amendments to existing legislation so as to protect freedom of expression throughout Sri Lanka. Learn more at http://releasetissa.blogspot.com/ or http://www.rsf.org/Nine-recommendations-for-improving.html

• Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and co-founder of the National League for Democracy (NLD). She has been wrongfully imprisoned for 14 of the past 20 years by the military junta in Myanmar (Burma). She is currently under house arrest in Yangon and Amnesty International seeks her immediate, unconditional release, as well as that of the estimated 2,100 political prisoners currently detained by the military government. Learn more at http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html or http://www.dassk.com (site currently down).

• Dhondup Wangchen is a documentary filmmaker who has been imprisoned by the Chinese since March 2008. In 2008, Dhondup Wangchen shot the documentary Leaving Fear Behind by smuggling footage out of Tibet (with the help of monks) and traveling thousands of miles. Amnesty is demanding both his release and that of all who were detained in the March 2008 demonstrations. Learn more at http://www.freetibet.org/campaigns/free-dhondup-wangchen and http://www.leavingfearbehind.com/node/17. Watch Leaving Fear Behind online here.

• In September of 2007, the family of Justine Masika Bahimba, coordinator for Synergy of Women for the Victims of Sexual Violence (Synergie des femmes contre les violence sexuelles), was attacked in their home. Although the attackers (reportedly army soldiers) have been identified, no action has been taken against them. Amnesty is calling for these men to be brought to justice, and all future civilian legal cases to be tried in a timely manner. Learn more at http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/taxonomy/term/1042 and http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/synergiedesfemmes

Registration for buses is closed, but there's still time to get involved. Register online here and visit us at gotb.org to find out how else you can participate.