Mr. President, pardon Steven Donziger
The case of Steven Donziger highlights a disturbing example of corporate retaliation against an individual who sought justice for the victims of environmental devastation. Donziger, an environmental activist and human rights lawyer, successfully sued Chevron on behalf of Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon whose lands were severely damaged by oil spills. Instead of addressing the environmental catastrophe, Chevron responded with a costly legal campaign against Donziger, ultimately leading to his imprisonment and years under house arrest.Massachusetts Congressmember Jim McGovern has called on President Biden to pardon Donziger, a move that would send a strong message against corporate greed and retaliation. McGovern, who visited Ecuador and witnessed firsthand the destruction caused by Chevron, described the situation as "grotesque" and emphasized that Donziger was standing up for those who had no voice. Chevron, instead of taking responsibility for its actions, has spent millions attempting to discredit Donziger and avoid accountability.
This issue has drawn widespread support from over 50 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Amazon Watch, who join McGovern in urging a pardon. The message is clear: justice should not be a commodity that can be bought by corporations, and individuals like Donziger, who take a stand for human rights and the environment, should be protected, not persecuted.
A pardon would not only recognize Donziger’s dedication to justice but also affirm that the U.S. legal system can hold corporate power to account.
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