Updates on Canadian G20 defendants and prisoners

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News received from friends at Toronto ABC

Toronto G20 Arrestees
June 2010 saw mass protests against the G8/20 meetings in Toronto. There were also mass arrests, with 1093 detained in brutal conditions. Of these over 250 were released facing pending charges, while a few outspoken community activists remain in jail or under house arrest, facing more serious charges.

The Canadian government is clearly hoping to utilize the “conspiracy” model pioneered in the SHAC 7 and RNC 8 cases to terrorize dissidents involved in laying the framework for protests. Your general messages of solidarity to the individuals under house arrest and in jail will mean a lot to them.
More info: g20.torontomobilize.org and Toronto.mediacoop.ca and torontoabc.wordpress.com

Released on bail/house arrest:
Letters to the G20 political prisoners, many of whom are on strict house arrest, will be forwarded through: Guelph ABC, P.O. Box 183, Guelph, ON N1H 6J6, Canada

These are people who want letters: Monica Peters, Bill Vandreil, Meghan Lankin, Sterling Stutz, Julia Kerr, Leah Henderson, Mandy Hiscocks, Peter Hopperton, Terrance Luscombe, Joanna Adamiak, David Prychitka, Kelly Pflug-Back, Erik Lankin, Ryan Rainville.

Still detained:
Joey Bokhaut, and Byronne Sonne (a computer security professional and member of Toronto’s HackLab community). Both at:
Maplehurst Correctional Complex, P.O. Box 10, 661 Martin Street, Milton, ON L9T 2Y3 Canada

Alex Hundert (arrested for the third time on October 23, bail revoked, could be on remand for 2 years), c/o Toronto West Detention Centre, 111 Disco Rd, PO Box 4950, Rexdale ON M9W 5L6 Canada

The G20 Legal Defence Fund Needs Your Help!
You can support the detainees’ legal costs and help alleviate some of the other costs of navigating the court system. The fund will be distributing the funds to those with the most need, prioritizing those still in custody on serious charges. We hope that you will dig deep to support the continued fight against the criminalization of dissent! movementdefence.org

Ottawa Movement Defense – Joseph Roger Clement
In solidarity with our friends who are not free!

On November 9, Roger, one of the three June 18 arrestees (anti-G8/20 solidarity action), pled guilty to charges related to the arson of the RBC branch in the Glebe in May. Charges against Matt have been stayed. Charges against Claude related to a 1 February incident of mischief have also been stayed. However, Claude is still fighting other charges for which he was arrested on June 18th. [Please Note: Claude was never charged in relation to the arson, but was arrested at the same time as Matt and Roger and faced unrelated charges.]

This is heavy news for all of us, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all who are standing by the three arrestees. By no means is this over. Roger returns to court for sentencing in early December. Ottawa Movement Defense would like to reiterate its full support for all three of the J18 defendants. This is a difficult process for all three arrestees, as well as their families, friends and coworkers who have been missing them.

Support for Roger is ‘very important’ in the coming weeks while he awaits sentencing on December 6th. You can write to him at:
Joseph Roger Clement, Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, 2244 Innes Road, Gloucester, ON K1B 4C4, Canada

We are also still taking donations to help with the legal costs. Ottawa Movement Defense now has a bank account. Cheques can be made out to ‘Ottawa Movement Defense’ and mailed to the mailing address below.

Furthermore we would like to express our solidarity to all political prisoners, and wish the best to the G20 arrestees across Ontario who are currently going through the court system and fighting for their freedom.
Ottawa Movement Defense, 207 Bank Street, Suite 453, Ottawa, ON K2P 2N2, Canada