Help Release Laura Ling and Euna Lee

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

[from Facebook]

ACTION ALERT:
To all media, bloggers, Tweeters & everyone else, we need more people to sign the Amnesty Petition.
I'm asking you to please update your readers on Laura & Euna.
Tuesday will start week 21 of being held in NK.
Please include the below link in your coverage.
Make Tuesday Laura Ling & Euna Lee day every week.
You all are very busy but Euna & Laura need your help.
Thank you.
B

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/131375038

---

Target: The government of North Korea
Sponsored by: www.lauraandeuna.com

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two American journalists, were recently sentenced to 12 years of prison in North Korea.

On March 17, 2009, Laura and Euna were shooting video along the China/North Korea border for a story they were working on about the trafficking of women in the region. They were stopped by North Korean border guards and arrested immediately thereafter. Both women were transported to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, where they remained under arrest until their trial.

A verdict in their closed trial was reached on June 8, and both Laura and Euna were sentenced to 12 years of reform through labor for illegal entry and grave crimes against the North Korean state.

Since the sentencing, the families have been able to receive calls on a few occasions. During the second call received on the evening of July 7, Laura and Euna reported that they are being treated fairly and are being seen by physicians. In the most recent call, they asked for continued support from our country and its citizens for their amnesty.

Urge the government of North Korea to grant amnesty to Laura Ling and Euna Lee!

SIGN AT THE SOURCE

SOURCE: 1, 2

ETA: For those who signed and/or posted this at your blog, thank you so much for your support. Every little bit truly helps.

Comments

[pat-ology.livejournal.com]

omg poor girls :/
12 years in N. Korea's prison.....

[stopthedisco.livejournal.com]

I signed, but I just wish that more was being done for these women.

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

Same here. But as normal people, we can still spread awareness and a sense of urgency, which is also very important.

[kishikiari.livejournal.com]

(http://pt-br.tinypic.com)
12 years???
X_X
I signed!

[purred.livejournal.com]

I hate NK so much fuckin' Kim Jong ill and his stupid ass goverment.

[livvyxo.livejournal.com]

North Korea sounds so terrifying!
Obviously you can't even go near the border!
I signed.

[chickadork.livejournal.com]

Yeah, NK sounds like a scary place.
If I ever visit SK I'm staying hells away from the North... O_O

[polysweet.livejournal.com]

Damn. I feel bad because I kind of forgot about this entire situation. :'|
Anyway, I signed. :/

[iluvkidnappers.livejournal.com]

this story never fails to make me angry. fuck you north korea. >|

[hoyah.livejournal.com]

NK's story sounds so fabricated. Signing - good luck to them, I hope they don't have to face the full 12 years.

[bulkko.livejournal.com]

I signed it.
fffuuu n.k

[snows.livejournal.com]

I signed the petition but like, is it really going to help ? Not being a smartass I'm just really concerned.

[kireny.livejournal.com]

I signed as well but tbh I dont see what it can do.
This N.Korea we're talking about.....I dont see them giving a shit about a petition

[snows.livejournal.com]

My sentiments exactly.

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

Well, since we're dealing with North Korea, it's very hard to say because it's an international issue. But it is important that support for their release continues to circulate instead of dying out (as it has in mainstream media) and petitions do have an impact, even though results may take years to take effect. I think that it'll be a slow process, but I have faith that we will see amnesty granted if we keep pressing about their release.

[snows.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm not trying to be a pessimist here like " why bother " I just wonder if it'll have an outcome at all. I really hope it does for their sake.

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think you're being a pessimist. I understand where you're coming from; I used to be quite skeptical about petitions and grassroots movements, but since following quite a few (Jena 6, Asian-American issues covered at angryasianman.com) I've learned that with constant media coverage and pressure, there can be results.

Thanks for signing despite your doubts. :)

[gogoparty.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly. I really want to help them but this... :l

[xshinebrighterx.livejournal.com]

the idea of NK releasing them because of an online petition seems ridiculous to me. the don't even listen to the UN.

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

Sign anyway. The petition is part of a surge to get people interested and involved in this issue again. There's no harm in doing it.

[pengunuu.livejournal.com]

the UN doesn't have any real power so of course NK won't listen to them LOL

[labobo93.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought, but I signed anyway.
Something > nothing.

[missatira.livejournal.com]

fuckkk i totally thought that they'd be released by now. but the attention is dying out and now it looks like they will stay in there for a long time, though i doubt it will be all 12 years

[devourlove.livejournal.com]

i don't really know if it'll help...but i guess I'll sign. Can't hurt, can it?

[baeraki.livejournal.com]

i don't know if it will really help, but i signed.

if anything they may get released early for good behavior
(do they do that in NK?) because 12 years just sounds ridic.

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

I agree with the above comments that an online petition won't do anything. Hell, TV producers won't even "save" a TV show because of an online petition. NK won't even listen to the UN. But I signed anyway just 'cause it helps more than nothing.

Also, I think this entire story is a little fishy and something is amiss. I'm not going to discuss it here though, 'cause I don't think political talk is allowed?

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

This online petition is only a part of the movement, but I get where you're coming from. Thank you for signing anyway.

Political talk isn't allowed on Omona anymore?

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

Political talk isn't allowed on Omona anymore?

I don't think there's ever been a rule for it, but just in case I want to avoid it XD People (including myself) get riled up rather quickly lol, and I don't want to start any fights :)

[essyllus.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see. That's all right.

[seungie.livejournal.com]

Signed. I hope it accomplishes something, no matter how small.

[purkin.livejournal.com]

They're American journalists? Shouldn't our government be doing something about this?

[purkin.livejournal.com]

True...but it's unsettling to know (if) they're doing nothing at all. D:

[thereisdiscord.livejournal.com]

Our efforts to help them have been quite lame. :|

[thereisdiscord.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to follow this story from the beginning, and it is absolutely insane. Even though North Korea is a volatile and touchy country, for lack of better words, and signing this petition won't do anything over there, I hope everyone signs it so we can raise awareness here.