ST. LOUIS, MO - October 14 - Amnesty International USA's (AIUSA) executive director Larry Cox will hold a media availability to discuss the organization's human rights concerns with the U.S.-controlled detention facility at Guantanamo Bay on Friday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. to noon.  He will be at AIUSA's life-size Guantanamo prison cell replica exhibit at the Hilton St. Louis Airport Hotel Parking Lot (10330 Natural Bridge Road). The exhibit will be open to the public beginning Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26.   St. Louis is the last stop in 2008 of AIUSA's national Guantanamo cell replica tour.

Visitors are encouraged to experience the cell and push the Bush administration to shut down Guantanamo. People may tour the cell and record a 30-second reaction video that will be posted on youtube.com and AIUSA's tearitdown.org, as well as sign the global petition to shut Guantanamo down. On the outside of the cell are large LCD screens showing a timeline of illegal U.S. detentions and torture, as well as related facts and quotes.

The cell is a replica of a Camp 5 cell. It brings to life the harsh realities of illegal detention to concerned citizens and highlights the human rights violations that Guantanamo symbolizes. The cell includes a steel toilet, florescent lights and a sliding metal door. Detainees reported being held in isolation in similar cells for as long as 23 hours.

Previous stops along AIUSA's national cell replica tour include Miami, Philadelphia, Portland (ME), Washington (DC), Denver, St. Paul and Los Angeles.

EVENT:         Media Availability with AIUSA's Executive Director, Larry Cox
DATE:         Friday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. to noon
LOCATION:         Hilton St. Louis Airport Hotel Parking Lot 10330 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MO 63134