New York, March 11 (RHC)-- In New York City, human rights lawyer Steven Donziger is waiting to hear if he will be freed after nearly 600 days of house arrest, after an appeals court last week threw out a key contempt finding against him. 

Donziger won a historic settlement for $9.5 billion against Chevron in Ecuador for dumping oil and toxic waste in the Amazon, but he has been facing contempt charges from a private law firm which has ties to Chevron and the oil industry. 

Chevron has yet to pay one cent of compensation or clean up after the catastrophic damage it created.  Last month, Amnesty International USA and a dozen other groups sent a letter to Merrick Garland asking him to review Donziger’s case.