David Hicks — political prisoner

Activists gathered on March 22 to discuss the campaign to free David Hicks. The meeting, called by the Geelong Anti-War Coalition, was chaired by Socialist Alliance member Bronwyn Jennings and heard from Amnesty International, the Greens and Civil Rights Defence (CRD).

Geelong Greens convener Bruce Lindsay argued that Hicks "has become a hostage to world politics" and that the campaign to free him needs to be a political campaign as well as a legal battle. CRD's Ray Fulcher argued that the US government needed Hicks in prison to justify the "war on terror" and that the Howard government has used Hicks to justify Australia's "anti-terror" laws.

The meeting agreed to support the April 21 Melbourne rally to free David Hicks and Amnesty International's installation of a life-size replica of Hicks's prison cell on the streets of Geelong.

From GLW issue 704