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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Update on Palestinian activist tortured by US |
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| yunus |
| 07/01/02 at 11:35:26 |
| > Supporters Pack Jaoudat Abouazza Immigration Hearing. > Judge Orders Voluntary Exit, But Abouazza Remains in > Bristol County prison. > > Defense Committee Vows to Step Up Efforts to > "Free Jaoudat Abouazza!" > Meeting tonight, Friday, June 28 - 6:30 PM > 284 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 617 522-6626 > Directions: http://www.iacboston.org/directions > > > On Thursday, June 27, 2002, 100 supporters of Jaoudat > Abouazza staged a militant picket line outside the JFK > Federal Building in Boston, and then entered to pack to > overflowing the INS courtroom inside the building. There an > imigration hearing was held in Abouazza's case. Abouazza > participated in the hearing via videoconference. At the end > of the hearing he was able to see and greet with gestures > the courtroom gallery filled to overflowing with supporters. > > The first phase of the hearing focused on whether bond > should be set for Abouazza. Abouazza's lawyer Nelson Brill > presented the wide community support that has been shown for > Jaoudat and the fact that a clergyman, Arab Community > leaders, and union activists who were present in court were > prepared to provide any support needed. Brill explained the > circumstances of Abouazza's presence in the country, of his > Canadian citizenship and, his entering the country on a bus > as is normal for all Canadian citizens, and the addresses > and circumstances of his living while he has been here. The > Government objected to bond, claiming Abouazza was a "flight > risk". The government alleged that Abouazza had entered the > country "surreptitiously", but provided no evidence of that. > > Immigration Judge Shapiro suspended that part of the > hearing, and proceeded to determine whether or not Abouazza > should be allowed to exit the United States voluntarily and > return to Canada, without further processing and without > being deported. The voluntary exit was requested by > Jaoudat's lawyer based on consultation with Jaoudat, who > very much wants to expedite his release from INS custody as > a result of the brutality that he is continuing to undergo. > He has repeatedly been beaten and thrown into solitary > confinement while in prison. Teeth have been forcibly > extracted without his permission and a tooth broken in the > procedure remains in his mouth causing continuing pain and > bleeding. Unlike a deportation, A voluntary exit wouldn't > legally bar Abouazza from ever returning to the U.S. as a > deportation would, but the government's attorney made very > clear that INS intended to deny him entry in the future. > > The government objected to voluntary exit, saying it was > necessary to "up the ante" to be sure that "if Abouazza ever > tried to 'surruptitiously' re-enter the U.S. it would be a > major felony". The government's real intent was exposed by > their repeatedly expressed frustration that despite > continuous attempts at interrogation by the FBI, brutality, > and solitary confinement, Jaoudat has not provided > information on his political activities in support of > Palestinian rights or those of organizations and individuals > who are supporting him and who organized demonstrations in > support of the Palestinian cause. This has been what > Jaoudat's entire ordeal has been about from the beginning. > The presence in his car of leaflets for the June 9 protest > against an Israeli Day festival in Boston was cited by the > government as the reason for holding Jaoudat at his very > first appearance in court after his arrest. > > The judge ruled in favor of Jaoudat's request for voluntary > exit. However, he also unjustifiably denied bond, continuing > to subject Abouazza to the clear and present danger of the > continuing brutalization and attacks by the government and > their jailers as he remains in Bristol County prison. > Furthermore, the government indicated in court they would > appeal the Judge's order. They have 30 days to actually do > so. In addition, there are still a number of legal > challenges from the government phat Jaoudat faces. At > present, in an Ashcroftian catch 22, Middlesex County > District Court has Abouazza listed in default on these > issues and has a warrant out for him -- because the INS had > him in custody and refused to allow him to attend his > District Court appearance even by videoconference, refusing > to comply with the District Court issued writ of Habeas > Corpus ordering that Jaoudat be produced to appear. > > Free Jaoudat Abouazza! > > It is essential that the pressure continue to be brought to > bear on the INS, the jail, and the Cambridge District > Attorney to drop the charges and release Jaoudat Abouazza. > > In addition, supporters must continue to press for humane > medical treatment of Jaoudat including access to him by his > own primary care physician and dentist. > > Sheriff Hodgson's jail has put out an outrageous order > barring two of his attorneys, including the Executive > Director of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, and > their Arabic interpreter from the prison. The prison would > not allow Jaoudat's primary care physician or dentist, who > went to the jail, to have access to him. The > defense committee is demanding that Jaoudat be transferred > to a medical facility in Boston where his primary care > chysician and dentist can properly examine him. > > We continue to demand the brutality against Jaoudat Abouazza > cease immediately, that his doctor and dentist be allowed > access to him, that he be released, that the charges against > him be dropped, and that those responsible for his > mistreatment be brought to account. We will not rest until > Jaoudat is free, and those responsible for brutality against > him are brought to account for their actions. > > The Jouadat Abouazza Defense Committee and the International > A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) coalition > know that there are thousands of Jaoudat Abouazzas across > the country, as a result of Bush and Ashcrofts new > COINTELPRO sweeps and roundups against political activists > and Arabs and Muslims and Palestinian activists and their > supporters. aparent nationwide sweep by Bush and Ashcroft. > Abouazza's case will be a focus of the national > demonstration at the FBI and Justice Department on Saturday, > June 29 to Defend Civil Rights. Buses will travel from > Boston at 11:30 PM on Friday June 28. To sign up, go to > > http://www.iacboston.org/j29bus > > Letters should continue to be sent to > > USINS District Director Steven J. Farquharson > Room 1700, JFK Federal Building > Boston, MA 02203 > > with copies to: > Commissioner James W. Ziglar > Immigration and Naturalization Service > 425 I Street, NW > Washington, DC 20536 > > and > > Jaoudat Abouazza Defense Committee > c/o International A.N.S.W.E.R. > (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) > 31 Germania Street > Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 > 617/522-6626. > > www.iacboston.org/ANSWER > > abouazzadefense@yahoo.com > > Letters, calls and faxes should also be sent to > Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley > 40 Thorndike Street > Cambridge, MA. 02141 > voice: 617-679-6500 > Fax: 617-225-0871 > demanding that the charges in District Court be dropped and > that Jaoudat be allowed to resume his life. > > > Please also send copies of your letters to Jaoudat himself, > and write to Jaoudat, at the address below: > > Jaoudat Abouazza > Bristol County Jail and House of Correction (N. Dartmouth) > (North Dartmouth) > 400 Faunce Corner Road > North Dartmouth, MA 02747 > > GB Unit > ID#120541 > (Unit and ID number should be written on the lower left of > the envelope.) |
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