Da: "radtimes"
Oggetto: [stop-polabuse] Boston torture victim: Support urged for jailed Palestinian
Data: mercoledì 3 luglio 2002 7.50
Boston torture victim: Support urged for jailed Palestinian
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the July 4, 2002
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
BOSTON TORTURE VICTIM:
SUPPORT URGED FOR JAILED PALESTINIAN
By Frank Neisser
Boston
Palestinian activist Jaoudat Abouazza was detained in Boston
May 30 on the pretext of minor traffic violations. He was
held and interrogated at least seven times in one weekend by
the FBI. During this time Abouazza wasn't given access to a
lawyer. He was moved to Immigration and Naturalization
Service custody on June 4.
Why was Abouazza detained over traffic matters routinely
handled with minor fines? His captors cited leaflets in his
car promoting a legally permitted pro-Palestinian protest
scheduled to take place at the June 9 Israeli Independence
Day Festival in Boston.
Abouazza is a leader in the local Palestinian community. He
has been at the forefront of marches for Palestinian rights
and demonstrations in front of the Israeli Consulate.
While in INS custody at the Bristol County House of
Correction in North Dartmouth, Abouazza has been grossly
abused. Four of his teeth were forcibly extracted. Guards
removed him from his cell and held him down in a chair while
his teeth were pulled.
This occurred at 10 a.m. on June 15. The effects were
visible to visitors from the Jaoudat Abouazza Defense
Committee at 6 p.m. that evening.
Abouazza has also been beaten, arbitrarily thrown into
isolation, and left on a cold floor without furniture or
socks.
The INS didn't permit Abouazza to appear at his district
court hearing on the original charges, despite a habeas
order from the court that he be produced. Over the
objections of his lawyer, the judge found Abouazza in
default for failing to appear and issued a warrant for his
arrest.
On June 27 Abouazza will have a hearing before INS Judge
Shapiro at the JFK Federal Building in Boston. The Jaoudat
Abouazza Defense Committee is mobilizing a demonstration at
noon in front of the building to demand that Abouazza be
freed immediately and that those responsible for the brutal
abuse against him be brought to account.
Supporters are urged to send letters demanding his immediate
release to: INS District Director Steve J. Farquharson, Room
1700, JFK Federal Building, Boston, MA 02203. Send copies
to: Commissioner James W. Ziglar, Immigration and
Naturalization Service, 425 I Street NW, Washington, DC
20536, and to the Jaoudat Abouazza Defense Committee, c/o
International ANSWER, 31 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, MA
02130.
Copies of these protests and letters of solidarity can also
be sent to: Jaoudat Abouazza, Bristol County Jail and House
of Correction (N. Dartmouth), 400 Faunce Road, North
Dartmouth, MA 02747, GB Unit, ID#120541 (put unit and ID on
lower left corner of the envelope).