FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE – Page 4

Amnesty International lance un Appel Urgent pour Ali Aarrass, 29 juillet 2013

Publié le 30 juillet 2013 dans ACTIONS/COMMUNIQUES DE PRESSE/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/ORGANISATIONS POUR LES DROITS DE L'HOMME / FOR HUMAN RIGHTS par admin

Hunger strike due to more ill-treatment

Ali Aarrass, a dual Belgian-Moroccan national detained in Salé II prison near Rabat, Morocco, is on a “dry” hunger strike (refusing water in addition to food) to protest ill-treatment at the hands of the prison authorities. He is reportedly in a critical condition, still conscious but unable to stand and struggling to speak. Ali Aarrass began his hunger strike on 10 July, after prison personnel entered his cell in his absence, took away his personal correspondence, including letters from his family and postcards from supporters, and left his cell in disorder. He was then denied basic prisoner rights including the right to make phone calls, access his mail, shower and use the courtyard in what amounts to ill-treatment. Ali Aarrass intensified his hunger strike on 25 July by refusing water. He has not been permitted to contact his family and lawyer since then.

His family and lawyers told Amnesty International they believe these measures came in retaliation for a public campaign of solidarity with him that is calling for his release and the investigation of reports that he was tortured when detained from 14 to 24 December 2010 by Morocco’s intelligence outfit, the General Directorate for Surveillance of the Territory (DST), at their offices in Témara. Ali Aarrass’s lawyers saw their latest request to lodge a complaint for torture rejected by the Moroccan authorities despite the fact that a medical examination conducted during a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on torture earlier this year provided further evidence of torture. They are calling upon the Belgian authorities to offer Ali Aarrass consular assistance.

Please write immediately in Arabic, French or your own language:

Calling on the Moroccan authorities to ensure that Ali Arrass is given immediate access to adequate medical care from medical professionals who will act in accordance with medical ethics and not coerce him to end his hunger strike, and that he is treated humanely at all times and not punished in any way for his hunger strike;

Urging the Moroccan authorities to respect Ali Arrass’s prisoner rights and give him access to the outside world including his family and his lawyers, as well as access to correspondence;

Calling on the Moroccan authorities to investigate reports that Ali Aarass has been tortured or otherwise ill-treated, including on 10 July 2013 in Salé II prison and during his detention in the DST offices in Témara.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 09 SEPTEMBER 2013 TO:

Minister of Justice and Liberties

Mustafa Ramid

Ministry of Justice and Liberties

Place El Mamounia – BP 1015

Rabat, Morocco

Fax: +212 537 73 47 25

Salutation: Your Excellency

Director of General Administration for Prison Administration and Reinsertion

Hafid Benhachem

Avenue Ibn Sina, Agdal – PB 123

Rabat, Morocco

Fax: +212 5 37 71 26 19

Salutation: Dear Sir

And copies to:

National Council for Human Rights

President Driss El Yazami

CNDH, Place Achouhada- BP 1341, 10 001, Rabat, Morocco

Email: elyazami@cndh.org.ma

Fax: +212 537 73 29 27

SOURCE

Frances Webber, letter on Ali Aarrass’ hungerstrike to the Belgian embassy in London

Publié le 29 juillet 2013 dans ACTIONS/AVOCATS/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/Lettres/Letters/Brieven par admin

Dear Veronique Petit, Counsellor (Political Affairs)

I’m not sure if you’re aware that Ali Aarrass has been on hunger strike for nearly three weeks and on thirst strike for five days. He is now extremely weak and cannot move. He embarked on the strike because a Brussels marathon medallion with ribbon in Belgian colours was confiscated from him by the prison governor, and his cell was turned upside down in his absence, with postcards ripped down from the walls. When he sought an explanation the governor simply told him that he was a prisoner and had no rights. He was then denied access to showers, the exercise yard, the phone and personal correspondence. I attach a letter from Jeremy Corbyn MP to the Moroccan Embassy for your information.

I would be grateful if you would pass on our grave concern at your government’s continued failure to intervene with the Moroccan authorities, on behalf of a citizen who is near death in a protest triggered by the denial of his right to manifest his Belgian nationality through the ribbons on the medallion. It needs reiterating that Ali Aarrass has no ties to Morocco except the purely formal tie of nationality, while the performance of his military service for Belgium creates a relationship which he was entitled to expect would be one of reciprocal obligation.

Yours

Frances Webber

Appel urgent de Jeremy Corbyn (MP) pour Ali Aarrass (23 juillet 2013)

Publié le 24 juillet 2013 dans ACTIONS/AU PARLEMENT/COMMUNIQUES DE PRESSE/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/Lettres/Letters/Brieven par admin

H.H. Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui  

Ambassador of His Majesty the King of Morocco  to the Court of Saint James’s

Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco   

49, Queens Gate Gardens

London SW7 5 NE

cc. Embassy of Belgium in London

Your Excellency,

You may recall my writing to you before about the troubling case of Ali Aarrass, the dual Belgian/ Moroccan citizen tried and convicted of terrorism-related offences on the sole basis of torture evidence following a flagrantly unfair trial. Mr Aarrass is currently serving a twelve-year sentence at Salé II prison, where he reports having been the subject of repeated provocations, intimidation and harassment since meeting the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Méndez, in September last year. (You may well be aware of the Special Rapporteur’s report on the case, which was made public earlier in the year. )

The latest of these provocations has driven Mr Aarrass to embark on an indefinite hunger strike. In brief, an item of post which he received on 8 July, a medallion given to competitors in the Brussels marathon, and its ribbon in the Belgian colours, was arbitrarily confiscated hours after he received it. Two days later, witnesses saw the prison Director, Abdellah Darif, and his assistant Mr Bouazza enter his cell in his absence, rip down postcards he had put up on the wall from friends and family, and conduct a search which left his possessions in disarray, in breach of rules which require prisoners to be present during searches. When Mr Aarrass asked to see the prison Director and asked him why he was being treated in this way, the Director indicated that Mr Aarrass was only a prisoner and that he, the Director, could do as he pleased. After this meeting, Mr Aarrass was not permitted access to a telephone, or to the exercise courtyard, or to the showers, and his personal mail has been withheld.

In protest at this denial of his basic rights and human dignity, Mr Aarrass has embarked on 12 July on indefinite hunger strike, until his possessions and his basic rights are returned to him.

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that Mr Aarrass is being punished for his contact with the United Nations Special Rapporteur, who I understand will be informed of these developments. I am extremely concerned that his attempts to exercise fundamental rights are met with such harassment and victimisation.

I would be grateful if you would convey my concerns urgently to the relevant authorities for immediate investigation.

Yours sincerely,

Jeremy Corby MP

Satement of Ali Aarrass on hungerstrike 12 July 2013

Publié le 16 juillet 2013 dans ACTIONS/DOUBLE NATIONALITE/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/LA PRISON AU MAROC/Lettres/Letters/Brieven par admin

(translation by Frances Webber)

It all started on 8 July 2013, when I received my post. One of the envelopes contained photos and a Brussels 20km medal, which a ribbon of my colours, the Belgian flag colours. A few hours later, the director ordered confiscation of the envelope and its contents.

This happened when I signed the register, as usual when I receive cards. Isn’t it an abuse, a provocation? I’m still waiting for the return of my envelope, the medal with the colours of my flag, for which I performed my military service in 1993-4. This is evidence of racism, vengeance on the part of the director and his confidant Bouazza

10 July 2013, these two came into my cell, while I was in the courtyard, at 11.30. The other prisoners saw them going in without asking for me to be there.

To provoke me, they pulled down postcards which I had stuck on a wall of the cell. They trampled on them, and they took away my personal cards. When I returned to my cell, they searched it, leaving everything upside down. I believe they took pleasure in doing it, with hatred, racism and evil in their hearts, in order to humiliate me – particularly Bouazza. As for the director, Abdellah Darif, he showed no humanity or intelligence when with his assistant Bouazza.

I asked to see him. He received me. I asked for an explanation. He said he was the director and I was just a prisoner. I just wanted to remind him that my rights had been violated by this sort of conduct. He warned me, threatened me that he would make my life impossible, and that Bouazza was the man in whom he placed all his confidence.

I returned to my cell and asked an officer if I could make a phone call. He said he had orders from the director not to allow me to make calls, or to go out to the courtyard, or to shower, or to receive personal mail. Now, I’m locked up in this prison with no rights to anything. I am locked in.

All because I told the director that he had no right to come into my cell, with Bouazza, in my absence. He was furious when I named and recalled his assistant, he threw me out of his office. He knows very well that he made a mistake in taking notice of Bouazza. The two together violated my rights.

Now, I ask myself if I have the same rights as any other prisoner. There are those who give all their money to get what they want in prison – and the two divide the booty between them.

Today, I decided to go on indefinite hunger strike until they give me back my rights, my personal possessions and the medal with the colours of my flag.

‘Anger and hatred make men blind. The first for an hour, the second, for life!’

Ali Aarrass

Exclusif ! 16 parlementaires britanniques demandent une intervention urgente de la Belgique pour Ali Aarrass / 16 Britse parlementairen vragen dringende interventie voor Ali Aarrass.

Publié le 11 juillet 2013 dans ACTIONS/AU PARLEMENT/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/TORTURE par admin

SOURCE

EARLY DAY MOTION FOR ALI AARRASS

Session: 2013-14

Date tabled: 26.06.2013

« That this House commends the diplomatic mission at the Belgian Embassy in London for receiving on 18 June 2013 the sister of the torture victim and Belgian-Moroccan national Ali Aarrass and a delegation representing concerned British lawyers, human rights activists and academic experts on torture; notes the significance of the report by UN Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez which strongly supports the statement made by Ali Aarrass that he was severely tortured in Morocco and that his conviction there was based solely on torture evidence and that he continues to face reprisals, threats and intimidation in prison following his meeting with Mr Mendez; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Belgian government to build on the example set by its diplomatic staff by agreeing to meet Ali Aarrass’ family and to demonstrate, furthermore, its commitment to the international obligation to prevent torture, not least by visiting Ali Aarrass in prison in Morocco as a matter of urgency. »

MOTION POUR ALI AARRASS

« Nous demandons à la Chambre des parlementaires de remercier la mission diplomatique de l’ambassade de la Belgique à Londres d’avoir reçu, le 18 Juin 2013, la sœur d’Ali Aarrass, belgo-marocain et victime de torture, et une délégation représentant les avocats britanniques, des militants des droits de l’homme et des experts universitaires sur la torture.

Nous soulignons l’importance du rapport du Rapporteur spécial de l’ONU Juan Mendez, qui soutient fermement la déclaration faite par Ali Aarrass qu’il a été gravement torturé au Maroc et que sa condamnation se repose uniquement sur des preuves obtenues sous la de torture.

Nous soulignons qu’Ali Aarrass continue à être victime de représailles, de menaces et d’intimidations à la prison, suite à sa rencontre avec M. Mendez.

Nous invitons notre gouvernement d’insister auprès du gouvernement belge de suivre l’exemple de son personnel diplomatique et d’accepter de rencontrer la famille d’Ali Aarrass. Le gouvernement belge devait démontrer son engagement à respecter l’obligation internationale de prévention de la torture. Il devait au moins et de manière urgente rendre visite à Ali Aarrass dans la prison au Maroc. »

MOTIE VOOR ALI AARRASS

« Wij vragen dat dit Huis van Afgevaardigden de diplomatieke missie van de Belgische ambassade in Londen zou bedanken voor de ontvangst, op 18 juni 2013, van een delegatie die bestond uit de zus van Ali Aarrass, Belgo-Marokkaan en slachtoffer van foltering, en Britse advocaten, mensenrechtenactivisten en academische deskundigen inzake marteling.

Wij willen nadrukkelijk wijzen op het belang van het rapport van de speciale VN-rapporteur Juan Mendez, die tenvolle de verklaring van Ali Aarrass ondersteunt dat hij werd gemarteld in Marokko en stelt dat zijn veroordeling uitsluitend gebaseerd is op bewijzen bekomen door foltering.

Wij wijzen erop dat Ali Aarrass represailles, bedreigingen en intimidatie blijft ondergaan na zijn ontmoeting met de heer Mendez.

Wij roepen onze regering op stappen te ondernemen bij de Belgische regering en haar zou vragen om, net als zijn diplomatiek personeel, de familie van Ali Aarrass te ontvangen voor een gesprek. De Belgische regering moet haar internationale verplichting nakomen om foltering te bestrijden. Zij zou op zijn minst en dringend Ali Aarrass moeten bezoeken in de gevangenis in Marokko ».

Signed by / Signé par / Ondertekend door

Name	Party	Constituency	Date Signed
Bottomley, Peter	Conservative Party	Worthing West	03.07.2013
Caton, Martin	Labour Party	Gower	27.06.2013
Corbyn, Jeremy	Labour Party	Islington North	26.06.2013
Durkan, Mark	Social Democratic and Labour Party	Foyle	01.07.2013
Edwards, Jonathan	Plaid Cymru	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr	01.07.2013
George, Andrew	Liberal Democrats	St Ives	27.06.2013
Hancock, Mike	Liberal Democrats	Portsmouth South	01.07.2013
Hopkins, Kelvin	Labour Party	Luton North	02.07.2013
Leech, John	Liberal Democrats	Manchester Withington	04.07.2013
Llwyd, Elfyn	Plaid Cymru	Dwyfor Meirionnydd	27.06.2013
Long, Naomi	Alliance Party	Belfast East	02.07.2013
Lucas, Caroline	Green Party	Brighton Pavilion	04.07.2013
McDonnell, John	Labour Party	Hayes and Harlington	27.06.2013
Meale, Alan	Labour Party	Mansfield	01.07.2013
Ritchie, Margaret	Social Democratic and Labour Party	South Down	02.07.2013
Shannon, Jim	Democratic Unionist Party	Strangford	01.07.2013

Une lettre d’Ali Aarrass au mouvement de solidarité : Merci Jour et Nuit

Publié le 27 juin 2013 dans ARTS/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/LA PLATAFORMA POR ALI AARRASS/Lettres/Letters/Brieven par admin

Voici une lettre qu’Ali vous adresse à vous tous, ceux qui le soutiennent d’une quelconque manière.

Merci Jour et Nuit !

J’aimerais remercier tous ceux qui ont lutté, qui luttent et qui lutteront encore.

Contre toutes les formes d’injustices et violations des droits fondamentaux, à l’égard des personnes innocentes.

Merci à toutes les consciences unies, main dans la main, les bras bien hauts, que ce soit dans le froid, sous la pluie, criant et scandant à haute voix, sans aucune crainte des répercussions.

Merci à tous ceux dont les cœurs battent vraiment et battront encore sous l’inquiétude à l’égard de l’avenir de nos enfants. Pour un meilleur avenir. Pour une vie avec des droits et une justice.

Si nous restons unis, nous atteindrons notre objectif.

Il faut crier « ASSEZ ! »

Nous voulons vivre dans l’égalité, sans différences de races, couleur, religion, dans une réelle démocratie.

Merci pour tout, même s’il reste encore beaucoup à faire. Il y a tellement d’innocents condamnés injustement !

Aujourd’hui, d’ici, je m’adresse à ceux qui m’ont séquestré, violé mes droits….

A ceux qui m’ont vendu comme si j’étais une marchandise, ou pour être plus clair, qui m’ont échangé contre du poisson.

A ceux qui ont gardé silence « Ma Patrie, la Belgique ! »

A ceux qui m’ont torturé, qui m’ont saigné, qui m’on fait souffrir. Une souffrance que j’endure encore…

Que tous apprennent que « Les tâches formées par le sang, ne sont pas faciles à nettoyer ! »

Mais aujourd’hui tout est bien plus clair pour moi. Peu importe le temps que prendra ma libération, puisqu’aujourd’hui la vérité a enfin surgi !

Elle continuera à surgir tant que je serai en vie et tant que des mains unies contre les injustices, seront présentes.

Que les consciences bien vivantes sachent que « Tout ce que nous faisons dans la vie, aura son écho dans l’éternité ».

Je voudrais vous dire aussi qu’avec un tel potentiel, vous n’avez pas à craindre qu’on vous atteigne !

Merci jour et nuit ….

Celle-ci est une lutte qui nous concerne tous sans exception. Un combat pour tous les éveillés, pour les réellement vivants !

Merci jour et nuit à ceux qui ont abandonné la peur et qui bravent les injustices.

Moi Ali, j’ai servi d’exemple.

Mot de la fin :

« C’est dans le besoin qu’on reconnaît ses vrais amis. Un ami dans le besoin est un ami en vérité »

Ali Aarrass

Traduit de l’espagnol au français par sa soeur Farida Aarrass.

47 prominent British personalities : Letter to Di Rupo/Reynders on Ali Aarrass

Publié le 24 juin 2013 dans ACTIONS/AU PARLEMENT/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE/Lettres/Letters/Brieven/TORTURE par admin

Friends of Ali Aarrass London Support Committee

His Excellency Johan Verbeke
Ambassador
Embassy of Belgium in the United Kingdom
17 Grosvenor Crescent
London
SW1X 7EE

18 June 2013

Your Excellency,
We are writing to ask you to convey to your government our grave concern at its apparent failure to intervene or take any action to protect the Belgian citizen, Ali Aarrass, from unlawful extradition by the Spanish authorities to Morocco, or from his subsequent torture by the Moroccan security services, a deeply unfair trial procedure which relied on the fruits of torture for his conviction, and a lengthy prison sentence imposed by that country’s judicial authorities.
The UN Special Rapporteur on torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan Méndez, recently issued a report (AL G/SO 214 (53-24), 4 December 2012) following his visit to Mr Aarrass in Salé II prison in September 2012. In his report, he confirmed that Ali Aarrass’ allegations of severe torture by the Moroccan security services, including being burned with cigarettes, beaten on the soles of the feet, hanged by the wrists and given electric shocks to the genitals, are supported by the medical evidence. Mr Mendez’ report adds weight to our concerns that Mr Aarrass has since his extradition to Morocco been treated in violation of the most fundamental human rights norms, including being convicted and sentenced solely on the basis of evidence obtained by torture.
We believe that it is unlikely that the Spanish authorities would have ignored the interim measures of the UN Human Rights Committee and proceeded to extradite Mr Aarrass to the likelihood of torture, on the basis of evidence which had been rejected by the Spanish investigating magistrate after a two-year investigation, had your government intervened to protest the extradition.
Similarly, vigorous representations from your government might well have prevented Mr Aarrass’ torture in Morocco during his incommunicado detention following his extradition. Charges based solely on a ‘confession’ allegedly made by Mr Aarrass (in Arabic, a language he does not speak) would probably not have been brought, and the irregularities which reduced his trial to a cruel farce, including a failure to send much of the evidence relied on by prosecutors to his lawyers and serious, unexplained discrepancies in police reports, would not have been permitted, had the Moroccan judicial authorities been aware that the authorities of Mr Aarrass’ other country of nationality were rigorously monitoring his treatment.
We regret that Your Excellency’s government’s apparent lack of interest or concern for the treatment of Mr Aarrass extends to a refusal even to meet with his sister or any other relatives or family friends who for years have worked to prevent these unlawful actions from taking place.
This failure stands in marked contrast to the interest in Mr Aarrass’ case demonstrated by the UN Special Rapporteur.
We further regret that Your Excellency’s government has offered no explanation for its continuing refusal to engage with Mr Aarrass’ plight. Of course we understand that Ali Aarrass is a dual Belgian-Moroccan citizen, and the rules of diplomacy would under normal circumstances preclude intervention with the authorities of his other nationality – although Belgian government officials have not relied on this as a reason for their refusal to intervene. But the prohibition against torture is ius cogens, a peremptory norm of international law, and we believe it must take precedence. The extremely grave nature of what Mr Aarrass has suffered, and the continuing harassment and inhuman treatment he is suffering as a convicted prisoner, which is noted by the UN Special Rapporteur, makes the failure to intervene by Your Excellency’s government very disturbing.
We call upon Your Excellency’s government to meet Mr Aarrass’ family and to take up his case with the Moroccan authorities as a matter of urgency.

Yours sincerely,
Professor Penny Green, Deputy Head of Dickson Poon School of Law (Research) King’s College London, and Co-Director of the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI)
on behalf of:
Professor Tanya Aplin (Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College)
Mehdi Beyad
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC
Professor Bill Bowring (Birkbeck College, University of London)
Victoria Brittain (author and journalist)
Campaign Against Criminalising Communities
Martin Caton MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Louise Christian (Christian Khan solicitors)
Helen Curtis (barrister)
Jan Davidson
Melanie Davidson (ISCI intern and postgraduate Law student)
Sean Davidson
Liz Davies (barrister)
Sofia Kintis Dilinos
Jim Dobbin MP
Alicia de la Cour (Research and Policy Manager, ISCI)
Dr Nubia Evertsson (Researcher in Criminology, Stockholm University)
Liz Fekete (Director, Institute of Race Relations)
Ken Fero (independent film-maker)
Anthony Gifford QC
Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Mike Hancock MP
Stephanie Harrison QC
Rebecca Hill (barrister)
Raza Husain QC
Fatima Kanji (ISCI intern, King’s College)
John Leech MP
Caroline Lucas MP
Duncan McCann
Ian Macdonald QC
Dr Thomas MacManus (post-doctoral researcher, ISCI)
Michael Mansfield QC
Lord Herman Ouseley
Jed Pennington (solicitor)
Dominic Prested
Muhammad Rabbani (Managing Director, CagePrisoners)
J.I. Reeves
Bob Russell MP
Sadat Sayeed (barrister)
Varoushnan Srilangarajah
Pete Weatherby QC
Frances Webber (retired barrister)
Amanda Weston (barrister)
Felicity Williams (barrister)
Beverley Wilson

J’étais à l’ambassade belge, chez Amnesty International et au parlement britannique. Journal d’un séjour à Londres.

Publié le 22 juin 2013 dans ACTIONS/ARTS/AU PARLEMENT/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE par admin

Farida Aarrass

(Merci à Nerimen pour les photos du filmscreening).

Poursuite des démarches qui tendraient (j’ai envie de dire « tendront ») à une évolution dans le bon sens de l’affaire Ali Aarrass.

Nous avons été invités à Londres du lundi 17 juin au mercredi 19 juin 2013 par la superbe équipe « The Friends of Ali Aarrass » pour participer et être présents à différentes activités/actions organisées par cette campagne et lutte menée pour sa libération.

Le lundi 17 juin, cette équipe avait prévu la diffusion de deux documentaires, traitant sur deux cas différents de détention arbitraire. L’une étant pour Talha Ahsan et l’autre pour Ali Aarrass. Comme vous le savez, le réalisateur du documentaire « Ali Aarrass, pour l’exemple » est notre très cher ami Mohamed Ouachen.

Les diffusions ont eu lieu dans une salle/auditoire Room K-1.56, King’s Building, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS.

La salle auditoire était pleine à craquer ! Les gens sont venues de toutes parts et montraient un réel intérêt à s’informer, à en savoir plus sur ces cas de figure qui semblaient les inquiéter sincèrement…

Les questions après les films, étaient très pertinentes et d’ores et déjà l’idée de diffuser le documentaire d’Ali ailleurs est envisagée.

D’ailleurs, dès le lendemain la chaine satellite « Islam Channel » projetait de le diffuser également !!! Excellent !!!

Mardi 18 juin, nous avons rendez vous le matin à l’Ambassade belge de Londres. Le but est de remettre en mains propres une lettre signée par 50 personnalités londoniennes. Mais aussi de pouvoir nous entretenir avec la personne compétente, sur la question concernant Ali.

L’équipe craint que je ne puisse être reçue, car elles avaient stipulé sur la lettre le demandant, qu’il s’agissait d’un groupe de londoniens. Elles ne voulaient pas me voir me faire rejeter de ces lieux, elles se sentaient mal, me le font savoir et je les rassure en leur disant, que quoi qu’il arrive elles avaient toute ma gratitude… Que si je n’étais pas autorisée à y entrer, je comptais sur elles pour en parler.

Grâce à Dieu, on se retrouve toutes les cinq à l’intérieur et sommes accueillies dans une grande et belle salle de réunion, par madame Véronique Petit, Minister Counsellor Deputy Head of Mission.

Celle-ci, nous a écouté très attentivement, prend des notes, argumente parfois, nous laisse répondre à notre tour à ses arguments, en somme un moment que je n’espérais point pouvoir vivre un jour. Pouvoir parler des détails les plus importants avec cette dame, en toute liberté, en toute quiétude… Lui transmettre toutes les informations qui ont été jusque ignorées volontairement par ses homologues en Belgique, puisqu’ils s’y sont toujours opposés.

Mardi 18 juin après midi, meeting avec des membres de Campacc (Campaign against criminalisation of communities) qui projettent de relancer la diffusion dans d’autres événements prévus en fin d’année, afin de relancer l’information, continuer la campagne de sensibilisation et pouvoir ainsi élargir le réseau de soutien et d’action.

Mercredi 19 juin matin, je suis reçue par Amnesty International à Londres, par une chercheuse spécialisée dans le Middle East and North Africa programme. Elle m’avoue avoir très peu d’informations sur l’affaire Ali Aarrass. Ils ont tous été débordés par la situation provoquée par les diverses révolutions (printemps arabe) dans les différents pays arabes. Mais me rassure en me disant qu’elle compte bien s’occuper de cette affaire ci. Elle ainsi qu’une collègue. Je lui explique les points qui me semblent les plus importants, elle prend note, me pose des questions…. Un entretien qui va durer plus d’une heure. Nous décidons de garder le contact, elle me parait fort touchée par ce qu’Ali a vécu et semble déterminée à faire bouger les choses à son niveau.

Mercredi 19 juin après midi, rendez vous avec le parlementaire britannique Jeremy Corbyn. Alors que dire … comme je ne peux parler des prochaines démarches pour le moment, je vous parlerai un peu de la personne. Ce parlementaire, est une personne d’une humilité et d’un comportement exemplaire. Modeste, accueillant, sympathique, brillant, d’une bonté et sincérité surprenantes. Je ne pourrai dénombrer ses qualités tellement il en a…

L’entretien avec lui fut très fructueux, vous en saurez certainement d’avantage plus tard, lorsque nous concrétiserons ces démarches.

Voilà donc un bref compte rendu sur le séjour passé à Londres.

Je remercie pour cela, toutes ces merveilleuses personnes : Liz Fekete, Frances Webber, Penny Green, Victoria Brittain, Jeremy Corbyn, la famille de Talha Ahsan et toutes les autres personnes sur place, ainsi que notre très cher ami Luk Vervaet, sans qui tout ceci n’aurait pas pu se réaliser.

Grand succès pour le film « Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple » à Londres !

Publié le 20 juin 2013 dans ACTIONS/ARTS/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE par admin

Luk Vervaet

Salle bondée, le lundi 17 juin, à l’université de King’s College à Londres où une centaine de personnes ont assisté à l’événement « Complicity: Europe colludes with the torture of its own citizens » (La complicité de l’Europe dans la torture de ses propres citoyens).

La soirée était consacrée à deux citoyens européens : Talha Ahsan, extradé par la Grande Bretagne vers les États-Unis en 2012, et Ali Aarrass, extradé au Maroc par l’Espagne en 2010.

En présence des deux cinéastes et réalisateurs, la soirée était construite autour de deux films : ‘Extradition’ de Turab Shah et le film de Mohamed Ouachen « Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple », dont ce fût la première à Londres. Les films étaient suivis par un panel avec Hamja Ahsan, le frère de Talha Ahsan, Farida Aarrass, la sœur d’Ali Aarrass, rejoints par Arun Kudnani, auteur de « The end of tolerance » et du livre à paraître : ‘The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, extremism, and the domestic War on Terror’ et Luk Vervaet pour la campagne Free Ali Aarrass.

L’événement était organisé par ISCI (The International State Crime Initiative), The London Friends of Ali Aarrass (www.freeali.be) et The Free Talha Ahsan Campaign (www.freetalha.org).

Une quarantaine de DVD Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple ont été vendus ainsi que le receuil de poèmes de Talha Ahsan « This be the answer, poems from prison » (http://www.facebook.com/TalhaPoetry1?fref=ts )

La conférence, les deux films inclus, sera bientôt intégralement disponible sur le site de l’ISCI http://statecrime.org/

Si vous souhaitez organiser une soirée de projection avec le film « Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple » et « Extradition » dans votre ville, à votre université, dans votre syndicat, association…, merci de contacter : aliaarrass@gmail.com et Sarah Dahnin saroutchie@hotmail.com

Ali Aarrass in London : filmscreening & panel

Publié le 7 juin 2013 dans ACTIONS/ARTS/EXTRADITION/FRIENDS OF ALI AARRASS LONDON SUPPORT COMMITTEE par admin

Filmscreening & Panel : ‘Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple’ by Mohamed Ouachen and ‘Extradition’ by Turab Shah

Complicity: Europe colludes with the torture of its own citizens

Source : Statecrime

Event on Facebook

websites : www.freeali.be www.freetalha.org

Date:

6.30pm, 17 June 2013

Location:

Room K-1.56, King’s Building, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS

The International State Crime Initiative and the London Friends of Ali Aarrass invite you to the UK premiere of the new documentary by Moroccan playwright and film-maker, Mohamed Ouachen, ‘Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple’ (sub-titled in English). This, the story of a Belgian dual national extradited from Spain to Morocco where he was tortured and sentenced to fifteen years in prison at a mockery of a trial, has parallels with the case of British Muslim Talha Ahsan, and a screening of the documentary ‘Extradition’ by Turab Shah about the plight of Babar Ahmad and Talha Ahsan, extradited in 2012 to a US supermax prison in Connecticut, will follow ‘Ali Aarrass pour l’exemple’.

After the film screenings, there will be a panel discussion chaired by Professor Penny Green, where family members and human rights and prison campaigners from the UK, Belgium and the United States will discuss the interconnections between racism and exclusion, banishment and prison, and ask what more can be done to challenge the double standards that exclude Muslim citizens from the rule of law and leave them vulnerable to the most despicable human rights violations.

Panellists at the event will include:

Farida Aarrass (sister of Ali Aarrass),

Luk Vervaet (initiator of Free Ali campaign and prison teacher fighting work ban),

Hamja Ahsan (brother of Talha Ahsan),

Avery Gordon (Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, co-host of No Alibis, a weekly public affairs radio programme on KCSB 91.9 FM Santa Barbara).

This event is free and all are welcome to attend, however, registration is essential, please do so here.

For more information about Ali see www.freeali.be, about Talha www.freetalha.org Follow on Twitter: @AliAarrass @hamjaaahsan @freetalha

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