Berkeley, CA -- On Monday, August 16, at 11:20 am, as John Yoo begins teaching his fall semester Constitutional Law class at UC Berkeley Law School, human rights, peace and justice groups, students, alumni, lawyers, and city officials will gather for a press conference and "Procession Against Torture" to demand Yoo's dismissal, disbarment and prosecution for his work at the Department of Justice.

What:  Press Conference (12 noon) and Procession Against Torture (12:30 PM)
When: Monday, August 16
Where: UC Berkeley Law School, Bancroft Way & College Ave., Berkeley
Who: Press conference with Medea Benjamin, co-founder, CODEPINK Women for Peace, speakers from National Lawyers Guild, Progressive Democrats of America, World Can't Wait, Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute, UC students and alumni, National Accountability Action Network (NAAN)
Compelling visuals:  Procession Against Torture featuring raised "bloody hands", orange detainee jumpsuits and hoods; CODEPINK women in pink slips for Pink Slip action; giant John Yoo bobble head on person wearing prison suit

"A Justice Department investigation said “Yoo's legal analyses justified acts of outright torture.” (see http://judiciary.house.gov/issues/issues_OPRReport.html), so despite the well-known fact that Yoo is responsible for the inhumane treatment and torture of innocent people, the University continues to employ, with our tax dollars, this unethical, incompetent, immoral law professor. Yoo's legal advice enabled our government to break the law; he is directly responsible for crimes of pre-emptive war, torture, warrantless wiretapping, suspension of habeas corpus, and more. News of medical experiments on detainees adds to our outrage" says CODEPINK organizer Cynthia Papermaster. "Law School Dean Chris Edley has students thinking that Yoo's academic freedom is the issue. This is not about Yoo's unpopular views or academic freedom-- it's about his work authorizing illegal torture and other crimes while at the DOJ. UC cannot continue to ignore worldwide calls for Yoo's dismissal. At the very least Yoo should not be given classes to teach. Edley's also incorrect that Yoo can't be fired unless he's convicted of a crime. UC has fired tenured professors before who weren't convicted of crimes."

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK Women for Peace, says, "This defender of imperial presidency now enjoys a cushy position at one of the most respected law schools in the country - UC Berkeley. Not bad for a man whose legal reasoning stirred an international outrage because of its inaccuracy and self-serving commitment to ideology over law. While he is busying himself with speaking engagements and teaching, CODEPINK and others are keeping tabs on Yoo and won't let up until he is disbarred."

CODEPINK Women for Peace (www.codepink.org), founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into health care, education and other life-affirming activities.

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