[Ppnews] Lori Berenson Update Dec. 31, 2008

[Political Prisoner News]

December 31, 2008

To Friends and Supporters of Lori Berenson

                 END-OF-YEAR MESSAGE FROM MARK AND RHODA BERENSON

Another year has elapsed and Lori is now in her 
14th year of wrongful incarceration.  Despite 
this, and the global economic crisis that affects 
us all, there is some good news to report.

Lori informed us in mid September that she is 
pregnant.  She was so elated ­ and we, of course, 
were thrilled over news we never anticipated 
hearing.  Lori has always loved children and, at 
age 39, this is her first pregnancy.   For the 
past three months she has been busy reading about 
pregnancy, childbirth and childcare.  We are now 
excitedly busy knitting ­ Mark a blanket, Rhoda a 
matching sweater, cap and booties.
In Peru, mothers are able to keep their babies 
with them in prison until age three.  Lori’s 
parole date is scheduled for November 2010, when 
the child will be 18 months old.  Of course, we hope she is released sooner.

Unfortunately, Lori’s health remains delicate due 
to the very harsh conditions she endured during 
the early years of her incarceration.  In July an MRI confirmed that Lori neede

d back surgery for a disk problem that, without 
proper medical treatment, could result in 
permanent damage.  The plans for back surgery 
have now been postponed until after the birth of 
her child.  Because of her medical situation, 
Lori is awaiting transfer to a prison in Lima 
where she will be able to coordinate her prenatal 
care with the care for her back.

We are hopeful that the Obama administration will 
make the needed foreign policy changes that will 
restore the image of the United States to the 
citizens of Latin America and around the 
globe.  And in this light, we hope that renewed 
and even improved bilateral relations between the 
US and Peru will result in Lori’s release on humanitarian grounds.

We are now in the process of updating the 
www.freelori.org website.  It will include new 
suggested letters to the Obama administration and 
members of Congress as well as other new 
material.  We will keep you informed as these 
updates are completed.  We know Lori has prepared 
an “end-of-year statement” that we will be 
posting but we won’t receive it until our next visit to Peru in mid-January.

We close this message with some sad 
reflections.  In 2008 we learned of the passing 
of five individuals who truly cared about Lori, 
about us, and about human rights ­ long-time 
activists and champions of peace and social 
justice Bob Menard, Susan Blake, Bob Carpenter, 
Don White and Paul Warsett.  Lori is saddened 
that she never had the opportunity to meet them and personally thank them.

Once again, thank you for your continued support 
through all these years.  May 2009 be one of 
health and happiness for you and your loved ones 
and may 2009 be a year of peace.

Mark and Rhoda B.

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English Website:  www.freelori.org
Spanish Website:  www.lorilibre.org




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