A federal court decision forces Voices in the Wilderness to disband

After 10 years of delegations, peace activism and non-violent protest, Chicago-based Voices in the Wilderness (VitW) was silenced on August 12, when a federal judge ordered the group to pay a $20,000 civil penalty for delivering medical supplies to Iraq without a permit.

Founded in 1995, VitW sought to openly violate and protest the economic sanctions against Iraq. The group spearheaded more than 70 delegations to the country, bringing children's antibiotics, blood bags and over-the-counter medications to people in need, despite numerous warnings from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Treasury.