Community Premiere of “Crime Against Humanity”

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On April, 5, 2008, the Batey Urbano and the National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN) debuted their play “Crime Against Humanity” to the Humboldt Park community. Over 60 persons attended the opening, with such notables as Miguel Palacio of Association House, ex-political prisoner Jose Luis Rodríguez, Jan Susler of the People’s Law Office and many more in attendance. The night began with a dinner with ex-political prisoner Luis Rosa, the co-author of the play. It was a successful evening, raising over $400. The play has shown in Chicago throughout the entire month of April, with over 200 individuals seeing it. It has also shown at various universities: Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago and DePaul University. In total over 800 people have been able to experience the play and learn about the political prisoners. In May, the play will tour the East Coast with showings in Fitchburg, MA, Cleveland, NY, Hartford, CT, and Boston.

“Crime Against Humanity” is a co-production of the Batey Urbano and the National Boricua Human Rights Network. It is comprised of 27 scenes taken from interviews with the ex-political prisoners and written correspondence with the 2 remaining political prisoners. That in itself makes this play truly an experience to watch. It is the intention of the Batey Urbano and the NBHRN to educate people with this play about the issue of the political prisoners, to further expose the injustice that two men continue to be imprisoned for more than two and a half decades and to reinvigorate the campaign for their release.