To: Egypt"s First Lady Susan Mubarak
Dear Mrs, Suzanne Murbarak,
My name is Cindy Sheehan, I am a human rights and peace activist from the U.S. In April of 2004 my oldest son Casey was killed in Iraq, while serving in the U.S. army he was sent to fight the illegal and immoral U.S. occupation of Iraq and was murdered in abattle in Sadr City. Since his death I have worked hard seeking justice for the victims of the occupation, both American and Iraqi, because I believe that they have all died for lies of the American government.
Through my work on this issue I have become an advocate for human rights violations all over the world. I am sad to say that my first visit to your beautiful country of Egypt brings me here under this guise to appeal for fair and just treatment for the forty members of the Muslim Brotherhood, all civilian, who are being tried through a military tribunal. As I understand it this process is illegal both under Egyptian law and International law and since the defendants have all been found innocent on four different occasions in civilian courts, I can only conclude that the Egyptian government is trying them in a military tribunal as a last resort to guarantee a guilty verdict.
In addition to this being an unfair practice to the defendants, it is also unfair to their families and places a great burden on them. I have spent time during my visit getting to know some of the wives and children of detainees and have heard heart breakings stories of how they have been tormented because of this matter; many of them have been deprived of personal funds and possessions and it has been very difficult for them to support their basic needs. The children have been deeply traumatized by seeing their fathers violently arrested without cause or provocation. The detainees have suffered a great deal while in jail, some have been denied access to proper health care causing serious medical conditions.
I am writing this appeal to you to join me the fight for human rights; as the First Lady of Egypt, wife to President Mubarak and Chairwoman for the National Council of Women and Children you are in a unique position to be a shining example of justice by speaking out against these grave violations. On behalf of the families and detainees I am asking that sign onto our call for justice with these demands:
1)Support from the National Council of Women and Children for the families who have been financially and emotionally affected by the illegal detainment of the Muslim Brotherhood.
2)Protest of any further financial or physical harm against the wives and children of these political prisoners.
3)Calling for the return of the personal belongings (including money and jewelry) of the families involved that were taken by force and without warrant by the police officers during the home-raids and arrests of the detainees.
Thank you for your consideration in this important matter, inshallah we will work together for a peaceful and just resolution for the betterment of humanity.
Sincerely,
Cindy Sheehan
A US Congress Candidate
Founder & Chairperson of the Gold Star Families for Peace
Director of Camp Casey Peace Institute
Labels: زيارة ساندي وفينتوري