WASHINGTON – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) on Tuesday issued the following statement on the U.S. Parole Commission’s decision to deny parole for renowned Native American activist Leonard Peltier on humanitarian grounds:
“The Commission had the opportunity to take a small step toward rectifying a decades-long injustice against Mr. Peltier, but incomprehensibly, they have opted against it. I extend my deepest condolences to him, his family, and his loved ones who are all being denied the peace and time together they deserve. As his health continues to wane, he should be in the care of his community, not the cruelty of confinement.
“Mr. Peltier’s story is not unlike that of so many of his Indigenous brothers and sisters, whose lives have been silenced, stolen, and suppressed throughout this country’s long history of atrocities against Native American people. I continue to stand with the many other global peace and civil rights leaders, justice advocates, and Native voices who urge President Biden to reject our country’s dark legacy and grant Mr. Peltier both clemency and a peaceful return home.”
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