Press Release for "Operation Redemption," Pt. 1: Friday, March 8

THE PEACE THRU JUSTICE FOUNDATION

RABI AL-THAANI 1434 A.H. 

March 5, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Coalition of Conscience Schedules Press Conference & Support Rally

on Friday, March 8, 2013 ("International Women's Day") for

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, Lynne Stewart, and Rachel Corrie

This coming Friday, March 8, at 9 AM a press conference will be held in the Zenger Room of the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The press conference will primarily focus on the cases of three women - Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, Attorney Lynne Stewart, and the late Rachel Corrie.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani national who came to America full of promise in 1990, only to be engulfed in a living nightmare 13 years later. She is a graduate of MIT and Brandeis University, with a PhD. in cognitive neuroscience. As an active young student at both universities - known for her commitment to Islam and humanitarian relief work - she became a person of suspicion after the 9/11 tragedy; that suspicion ultimately resulted in Dr. Siddiqui and her three young children (two, American born citizens) becoming targets of a rendition operation in March 2003. Dr. Siddiqui is currently imprisoned at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, under conditions that violate the US Constitution's guarantee against "cruel and unusual punishment."

Lynne Stewart is a former New York-based defense attorney who was known, and respected, far and wide for her peoples’ advocacy on behalf of some of the most despised and/or vulnerable members of society. In 2005 Ms. Stewart was charged with violating the Special Administrative Measures (SAMs) which had been applied to one of her imprisoned clients – the Egyptian cleric, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. Not content with merely sanctioning this committed defense attorney administratively, the government decided to prosecute her for “conspiracy” and “providing material support to terrorists.” Ms. Stewart was later found guilty and initially given a sentence of 28 months. The government wanted a stiffer sentence, however, and appealed the sentencing judge’s decision. On July 10, 2010, Stewart was re-sentenced to 10 years. This 73 year old grandmother is also currently imprisoned at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, and she has been diagnosed with cancer.

The late Rachel Corrie was an exceptionally gifted and compassionate young activist, who on her first trip to the Middle East was brutally murdered in broad daylight, and in the presence of many witnesses, while attempting to nonviolently prevent the destruction of a Palestinian family’s home in the Rafah refugee camp. The date was March 16, 2003. Her killer was an Israeli soldier operating an American-made Catapillar bulldozer. This American peace activist from Olympia, Washington was only 23 at the time of her death. In 2005, Rachel’s parents filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Israel seeking a just accountability for their daughter’s death. The State of Israel has denied responsibility, and, as usual, blames the victim for their crime! In August 2012, an Israeli court upheld the results of Israel's 2003 military investigation, ruling that the Israeli government was not responsible for Corrie's death...she was. The struggle for accountability continues.

Later on Friday afternoon, from 3 to 5 PM, a support rally for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui will be held at the Pakistan Embassy located at 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008. March 2013 marks the 10^th year of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s political imprisonment – five years of secret imprisonment and torture overseas, and five years of imprisonment under unconstitutional conditions in the United States. As part of Friday’s mobilization, a delegation of Pakistani-Americans will formally petition the government of Pakistan to do more to secure the repatriation of its citizen.

The Coalition of Conscience comprises (in Alphabetical order):

COALITION TO STOP FBI REPRESSION (CSFR)

  

FAMILIES UNITED FOR JUSTICE IN AMERICA (FUJA)

INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER (IAC)

NATIONAL COALITION TO PROTECT CIVIL FREEDOMS (NCPCF)

PAKISTAN-AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC FORUM (PADF)

PROJECT SALAM

THE PEACE THRU JUSTICE FOUNDATION

UNITED NATIONAL ANTIWAR COALITION (UNAC)

And the former U.S. Attorney General, Ramsey Clark

Special Note: Demonstrations will also be held in Fort Worth, Texas on March 29 & 30th.

For additional information

Tel: (202) 246-9608, or E-mail: peacethrujustice@aol.com   

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Confirmed speakers for Friday's press conference 

Saleen Muhammad Aktar of Pakistan American Democratic Forum & AMA

Steve Downs, National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms (NCPCF)

Sara Flounders, Co-Director of International Action Center (IAC)

Joe Lombardo, National Coordinator of United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) 

Ralph Poynter, Lynne Stewart's husband

Mauri’ Saalakhan, Director of The Peace Thru Justice Foundation

Sue Udry, Executive Director of Defending Dissent Foundation (DDF)

Anne Wright, U.S. Army Colonel, Retired and former U.S. diplomat

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