Artists Reunite for Human Rights in Latin America

Concert Tour in New York to Stress the Plight of the Caracas Nine

NEW YORK (October 25, 2007) -- The Fenwicks, a third wave ska band, have joined forces with New York-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF) to draw attention to political persecution in Latin America—specifically, the cases of nine individuals in Venezuela: the Caracas Nine. The Fenwicks are reuniting as one of the opening acts for Boston based ska band Big D and the Kids Table with its fall tour starting this Sunday, October 28 at the Knitting Factory in New York and ending November 2 at Studio A in Miami.

“It is inspiring that a group of artists is willing to donate so much of their time and energy to educate and highlight the forgotten victims of political persecution in Latin America. We support and applaud their efforts and are most excited about their ability to reach out to tens of thousands of young people with this message,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of HRF.

The Caracas Nine campaign is designed to raise awareness about human rights abuses taking place in Venezuela. The project focuses on nine individuals whose human rights have been violated by the government of President Hugo Chávez. Their cases reflect the growing and systematic crisis that affects Venezuelan civil society.

The first of the Nine, Francisco Usón, is serving a five-and-a-half year prison sentence for expressing concern about human rights violations during a television interview. The Caracas Nine include survivors of discrimination, censorship, intimidation, torture, false arrest, and imprisonment. HRF provides extensive research and a documented report on each case. “We wish to humanize the terrible price being paid by those who dissent from the government of Venezuela. By putting a human face on what is occurring we hope to encourage individuals, organizations, and governments who respect civil liberties to shoulder their responsibility and take action,” said Halvorssen.

The Fenwicks were once one of the East Coast’s most beloved and most popular live acts. Critics have described The Fenwicks as a “manic cross between Madness and The Marx Brothers.” Steven Schub, the lead singer of the band, works as a television actor in hit shows NYPD Blue and 24. Schub explained the alliance with HRF: “I read about the work HRF was doing, most especially on behalf of political prisoners being held by the Chávez government in Venezuela—prisoners like Francisco Usón who is in jail simply for exercising his freedom of speech. We are deeply committed to doing whatever we can to bring attention to the issue of individual rights and the work of HRF. We are honored and thrilled.”

HRF is an international nonpartisan organization devoted to defending human rights in the American hemisphere. It centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; HRF’s ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. HRF’s International Council includes former prisoners of conscience Vladimir Bukovsky, Palden Gyatso, Armando Valladares, Ramón J. Velásquez, Elie Wiesel, and Harry Wu.

Contact: Sarah Wasserman, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, sarah@thehrf.org
Contact: Jonathan Boyer, The Fenwicks, (310) 205.0488, shake@thefenwicks.com
Read an article about The Fenwicks from their Warped Tour appearance here
For more information about the Caracas Nine visit www.CaracasNine.com
Read the report on Francisco Usón here