43years behind bars for anti-war, anti-nuke activism
International Solidarity to Free Hoshino!
General Strikes in Okinawa and Demo in Tokyo
In May and October of 1971, 100,000 workers in Okinawa--with military base workers at the forefront--participated in general strikes against the fraudulent Okinawa Reversion Agreement, which would keep a huge nuclear arsenal on the islands and strengthen US military bases to serve as a launching pad for the bombing of Vietnam. The overwhelming majority of one million Okinawan residents supported the workers.
On November 14, 1971, defying the government's ban of assembly, Fumiaki Hoshino successfully led a contingent of demonstrators to Shibuya, downtown Tokyo, and joined tens of thousands people there who fought against the Reversion Agreement in solidarity with the Okinawan people. One riot police officer died as a result of confrontation with demonstrators.
Blatant Frame-up
Hoshino-san was sentenced to indefinite imprisonment for the "killing" based solely on the forced false confession statements of six minors taken by the police; five of whom recanted their confessions in open court and one refused to speak. There was no physical evidence of guilt whatsoever. The police "lost" the videotape of the demonstration. The prosecution has been refusing to disclose statements by third party eyewitnesses and others present at the time of the demonstration.
Hoshino-san is incarcerated in Tokushima Prison, far away from his family and held under harsh conditions. The prison authority refuses to give air conditioning and room heating.
The outrageous conditions of Hoshino's prison cell shows how the government fears the wild fire of people's anger against wars and nukes. The Abe Administration has set a schedule to destroy the "peace clause" of the Constitution and to enact the nuclear armament of Japan.
Write Letters to the Parole Board!
"Indefinite term" prisoners who spent 30 years behind bars are entitled to be examined by the regional parole board whether he/she is to be paroled or not. The Hoshino Defense Committee launched a campaign to gather letters to the parole board demanding Hoshino's release. Various spectrum of organizations and individuals--labor unions, anti-war, anti-nuke organizations, lawyers, members of the Parliament from Okinawa and other constituencies across political parties, and clergies--have written and gathered letters.
Fumiaki Hoshino fought for a society where all human beings live humainly and is still fighting from his prison. International solidarity is the most powerful aid for his freedom. Letters from abroad are a huge pressure for the regional parole board.
Please write a letter to the parole board and gather letters from abroad to support him.
Here is the sample letter:
http://bit.do/esQXs