FW: strategy re Ghazi Falah
Colin Flint has asked for this message to be distributed as widely as possible. Please feel free to send on to colleagues or other lists. Please read the additional material at the end of the message from Colin.
------ Forwarded Message
From: <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 22:21:19 -0500
To:
Subject: Clarification and strategy
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I just spoke to the Falah family and seek your assistance again in
spreading the following far and wide.
1. Ghazi is due back in court Thursday. I misunderstood the
options for that date. On Thursday Ghazi must be either
charged OR given access to his lawyer (if charged he gets
access to his lawyer anyway). He can be detained without
charge for a month from time of arrest, which was July 8.
2. I have just spoken with the family - they are asking for a
massive wave of letters, etc prior to Thursdays date. So
please encourage people to write again and show the
authorities that we are not going away! The impression is that
the judge is aware of the campaign's pressure.
3. IMPORTANT: the family would like us to facilitate the
spread of the story to media outlets. Any contacts in the
press that you may have, please send them details of Ghazi's
arrest and the campaign.
4. EQUALLY IMPORTANT: the family do not want the campaign
politicized. So please do not mobilize political pressure
groups and advocacy groups at the moment (though Amnesty
International are keeping watch on the case and are ready to
act if Ghazi's detention status changes.
And of course - keep up the excellent work. The campaign has
spread like wildfire and is truly international.
best wishes,
Colin
------ End of Forwarded Message
If possible, we are asking that people send letters in support of Ghazi Falah to a range of officials listed below. Please note, the Falah family is keen that people focus on three key points in any letters that are sent:
* the academic credentials and reputation of Professor Falah;
* the normalcy of an academic geographer taking photographs; and
* the humane need for contact with a lawyer, consulate staff and family.
Please send letters to any or all of the following people:
Hon. Peter G. MacKay
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0A6
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Canadian Embassy in Israel
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax #: (011 972 3) 636-3380
US embassy in Israel
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax #: (011 972 3) 516-4390
Israeli Attorney general, Mr. Mini Mazoz
Ministry of Justice
Salah al-deen st.29
Jerusalem
Tel: 02-6466666; Fax: 02-6288065.
The Minister of Justice, Mr. Hayem Ramon
Public Prosecutor, Aran Shingar
Ministry of Justice
Salah al-deen st.29
Jerusalem
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 02-6466527, Fax: 02-6285438
People may also wish to contact the coordinator of academic freedom issues in their local academic association to request their support. In the case of Canada, this would be the Canadian Association of University Teachers:
Mr. David Robinson
Associate Executive Director
Canadian Association of University Teachers
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Professor Vic Catano
Chair of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee
Canadian Association of University Teachers
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Finally, sample wording for letters of support for Ghazi can be found on the how to help page of the Free Ghazi Falah Campaign website: <http://muehlenhaus.com/ghazi/howtohelp.html>. The main campaign website can be found at: <http://muehlenhaus.com/ghazi/>.
Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to assist the campaign, and thanks to all of you who are about to get involved.
In peace,
Lawrence
--
Lawrence D. Berg, D.Phil.
Canada Research Chair in Human Rights, Diversity and Identity
Community, Culture and Global Studies Unit
Irving K. Barber School of Arts & Sciences
University of British Columbia
3333 University Way
Kelowna, BC, Canada, V1V 1V7
Voice: +1 250.807.9392
Fax: +1 250.807.8001
Email: [log in to unmask]
Skype: lawrenceberg
http://www.chrdi.org/ldb/index.htm
Editor:
ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies
http://www.acme-journal.org
Co-Leader: BC Disabilities Health Research Network
Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research
http://www.dhrn.ca
