[antiwar-van] UPDATE 17: US Antiwar Activist Alison Bodine Wins Important Victory at Today's Hearing - the Struggle Continues!

[Shannon Bundock]

*please forward widely*

ALISON BODINE DEFENCE COMMITTEE
http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com
defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com
778.891.1470 | 778.882.5223 | 604.339.7103 |
604.780.4029

UPDATE #17 – Thursday October 11, 2007

IMPORTANT VICTORY FOR ARRESTED U.S. ANTI-WAR ACTIVIST
AT ADMISSIBILITY HEARING TODAY!

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES "DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST
ALISON BODINE!"

After a month of living in legal limbo, U.S. anti-war
and social justice activist Alison Bodine faced Canada
Border Services Agency (CBSA) charges at her
admissibility hearing today and won a big partial
victory in her case. On September 13th, Bodine was
targeted as an anti-war activist and arrested by the
CBSA when she was crossing the border from Canada to
the United States. The CBSA charged her with
"misrepresentation" and she faces up to a two-year ban
from Canada.

The hearing began with over 80 people gathered for the
press conference and support rally. Both hearing rooms
were once again packed with supporters while more
people waited outside the building with signs and
banners and collecting petition signatures.

At the hearing the prosecution tried to introduce new
evidence, not included in the full disclosure of the
case given to Alison and her lawyer. This attempt to
sneak in secret evidence against Alison was denied by
the judge. During the hearing the prosecution's
witness, a CBSA border guard, also tried to deny that
Alison carried antiwar and political materials in her
car the day she crossed the Canada-US border. This was
quickly exposed in the cross examination by Alison's
lawyer, showing examples of the antiwar newspapers
Alison was questioned about at the border.

It was clear throughout the hearing that the
adjudicator was not convinced by the prosecution's
arguments. In admissibility hearings such as these,
often if the adjudicator is not convinced by the
defence an immediate removal order will be issued and
defendant will have only a few hours to leave the
country. The weakness of the prosecutions case was
further exposed when the adjudicator announced that
the final decision will not be released until October
31st at 1pm.

After today's victory in this stage of the legal
battle Alison will remain in Canada to participate in
the political campaign right up until the final legal
decision!

Up until the hearing, support letters for Alison's
case continued to come in. The latest including the
55,000-member-strong Canadian Union of Postal Workers
(CUPW) and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North
America, based in North Carolina!

Until the judgement comes down WE STILL NEED YOUR
SUPPORT! The Alison Bodine Defence Committee is
continuing the appeal for letters in defence of the
human and democratic rights Alison, and by extension,
of all immigrants, refugees, non-residents and
social-justice activists.

Send your letter of support to the Canada Border
Services Agency and defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com

The campaign for civil liberties, demanding that all
charges against Alison be dropped, will also continue
through the more than 2000-signature strong petition
campaign.

Check http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com for updates on
actions and events demanding "Drop All Charges Against
Alison Bodine!"



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