United Church of Christ - Release Oscar López Rivera

Release Oscar López Rivera

Join us in calling for the release of Oscar López Rivera, our brother in faith who continues to serve an extraordinary and unfair sentence for his political beliefs.

Background:

Oscar Lopez River Oscar López Rivera is a Puerto Rican nationalist who advocated for Puerto Rico’s independence from the United States. In 1981, he was accused by the U.S. government of sedition and conspiracy, and was convicted and sentenced to 70 years in prison. He was never accused or convicted of any violent crime. He has spent 31 years in federal prison, 12 years of which have been spent in complete isolation.

Oscar López Rivera met all the requirements for parole, but his parole was denied by the U.S. Parole Commission in 2011. The Board formally stated, “Deny parole. Continue to a 15-year reconsideration hearing in January 2026 or continue to expiration, whichever comes first.” A subsequent appeal was also denied, in a direct contradiction of the Commission’s own policies.

In 1999, President Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 Puerto Rican nationalists, with the support of thousands of political and religious leaders throughout the world, and with the full support of the Puerto Rican people. In particular, Oscar López Rivera has been cited by Nobel laureates and by President Clinton himself as having received an egregious and disproportionate sentence. Oscar rejected clemency because it would have kept him under justice control in what he called “a prison outside of prison.” He wrote: “I don’t have any blood on my hands. I haven’t victimized anyone. I’ve devoted most of my life serving a just and noble cause and struggling to help make this world a better and more just one.” He is now scheduled to remain in prison for what is, essentially, life without parole.

The United Church of Christ long ago joined the National Boricua Human Rights Network, Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience and the Comité Pro Derechose Humanos in Puerto Rico in continuing to call for his immediate release. We will press for Oscar’s freedom, and ask that you join this effort through letters to President Barack Obama.

Thank you for your faithful support. We remain resolved that Oscar will be free.

Learn more.

Take Action:

Personalize the message text on the right with your own words, if you wish.
Complete the form below with your information.
Click the Send Message button to send your letter to these decision makers:
- President Joseph 'Joe' R. Biden

* = Required Fields

* Title:. Required.

* First Name:. Required.

* Last Name:. Required.

* Address 1:. Required.

Address 2:

* City:. Required.

* State / Province:. Required.

* ZIP / Postal Code:. Required.

Country:

* Phone Number:. Required.

* Your Email:. Required.

Yes, I would like to receive weekly action opportunities through the Justice and Peace Action Network. (Please note un-checking this box will opt you out of any previously registered email lists)

Remember me. What's this?

Regarding Oscar López Rivera: 87651-024, FCI Terre Haute

Dear [Decision Maker],

* Personalize your message

I join with other faithful advocates in writing to ask that you release Oscar López Rivera from federal prison.  Mr. López is a Puerto Rican nationalist who has served 31 years as a result of his protest against U.S. control of Puerto Rico.  He has never been convicted  or even accused -- of harming any person.  His prison sentence of 70 years is based on political movement alone.  All other Puerto Rican political prisoners who were convicted and imprisoned with him have been released, either through presidential pardon or parole.  His sentence is extreme, and out of all proportion to his actions.  For expressing his beliefs, Mr. López has grown old in prison.  He can expect to die there without your intervention.

Three U.S. presidents have exercised their constitutional authority to commute the sentences of men and women who have been held in U.S. prisons because they called for Puerto Rican independence:  President Truman in 1952, President Carter in 1979, and President Clinton in 1999.  Mr. López's co-defendants are all free, most of them living in Puerto Rico, where they are well-respected and productive members of society.

When we hear you call to other countries to release political prisoners, we are given hope that you, as our president, will lead by example.  When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar last year she said, on behalf of the United States, "We believe that any political prisoner anywhere should be released.  One political prisoner is one too many in our view."     Oscar López Rivera is a political prisoner.  He has become an example across the world of the U.S. practice of imprisoning people for dissent.  Human rights activists and Nobel laureates from all over the globe have called for his freedom for decades, and we join that call.

We hope that you will act to release Oscar López Rivera immediately.  We make this request with the full support of the Puerto Rican people, and in so doing, join thousands of political and religious leaders throughout the world.  We ask this in the name of our beloved country and the ideals we hold so dearly for freedom of expression and for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your Email]