Hafsah
24-11-06, 01:15 PM
Action Alert: Appeal for Immediate Release of British Resident Detained in Spain
24 November 2006
IHRC is calling on all campaigners to contact the Foreign Office and the Spanish
Embassy to urge for the immediate release of Mohamed Fashi.
1. Background
Mohamed Fashi is a British resident living in Spain. He was the president of the
Islamic Cultural Association that he had set up within the Town Council in
Spain. He worked hard through peaceful measures to bring communities together
and promote understanding and community cohesion.
On 10 January 2006, he was captured by masked police officers who shot their way
into his house. He was tortured and drugged by the Spanish authorities. He has
been accused of ‘recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency’ but no evidence
has been found supporting this claim. Any legal material regarding his case is
generally classified as ‘secret.’ On the limited information that has been made
available to Mohamed’s lawyer, he has said, ‘they do not have a single proof or
evidence to find Mohamed guilty.’ He has been denied adequate access to legal
advice. Under Spanish legislation, Mohamed can be detained for up to 4 years
without trial.
Muhamad wife and three young children are British citizens resident in the UK.
For more information, visit
http://clearmyconscience.org/index.php/navigation_menus/mohammed_fashi (javascript:ol('http://clearmyconscience.org/index.php/navigation_menus/mohammed_fashi');)
2. Action Required
a. Write to the British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Stephen Wright and urge him to
provide Mohamed Fashi with full legal representation and to work towards his
immediate release.
HM Sir Stephen Wright
British Embassy
C/ Fernando el Santo, 16
28010 Madrid
Tel: +34 91 524 9700
Fax: +34 91 700 8272
Email: madridconsulate@fco.gov.uk (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=madridconsulate@fco.gov.uk&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
b. Write to the European Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Thomas Hammarberg
and urge him to provide Mohamed Fashi with full legal representation and to work
towards his immediate release.
Mr. Thomas Hammarberg
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel: +33 3 88 41 34 21
Fax : +33 3 90 21 50 53
commissioner@coe.int (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=commissioner@coe.int&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
c. Write to the Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and express your concerns
regarding Mohamed Fashi’s imprisonment.
Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Tel: +44 0207 008 1500
Fax: +44 0207 839 2417
Email: private.office@fco.gov.uk (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=private.office@fco.gov.uk&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample letter is given below for your convenience
Sample Letter
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Dear [INSERT NAME],
Re: British Resident Detained in Spain
I am writing to you to request the immediate release of Mohamed Fashi, a British
resident who was arrested in Spain on 10 January 2006, on charges of terrorism.
He has been accused of ‘recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency’ but no
evidence has been found supporting this claim. Before his arrest, he was the
President of the Islamic Cultural Association that he had set up within the Town
Council in Spain. He had been making efforts to promote cohesion and
understanding within the different communities in Spain through peaceful
measures.
Currently he is not even being provided adequate legal representation and his
legal case is being kept ‘secret.’ Even his lawyer is not provided with complete
information.
There is also huge concern about whether he is being treated in accordance with
international human rights standards. It has been reported that he was severely
tortured and drugged at the time of his arrest. NGOs such as Human Rights Watch
have also reported that Spanish authorities routinely violate the human rights
of detainees held under charges of terrorism.
Mr Fashi’s wife and three children are British citizens who have been
traumatized by his arrest and by the injustice he has faced in prison.
I urge you to request the Spanish authorities to offer Mohamed Fashi a fair
trial with full access to independent legal representation. If he is not found
guilty, he must be released without delay.
I look forward to hearing from you soon on this matter,
Yours Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
________________
For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below.
“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of
the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our
Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give
us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.
Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom
Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=info@ihrc.org&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
Web: www.ihrc.org,
24 November 2006
IHRC is calling on all campaigners to contact the Foreign Office and the Spanish
Embassy to urge for the immediate release of Mohamed Fashi.
1. Background
Mohamed Fashi is a British resident living in Spain. He was the president of the
Islamic Cultural Association that he had set up within the Town Council in
Spain. He worked hard through peaceful measures to bring communities together
and promote understanding and community cohesion.
On 10 January 2006, he was captured by masked police officers who shot their way
into his house. He was tortured and drugged by the Spanish authorities. He has
been accused of ‘recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency’ but no evidence
has been found supporting this claim. Any legal material regarding his case is
generally classified as ‘secret.’ On the limited information that has been made
available to Mohamed’s lawyer, he has said, ‘they do not have a single proof or
evidence to find Mohamed guilty.’ He has been denied adequate access to legal
advice. Under Spanish legislation, Mohamed can be detained for up to 4 years
without trial.
Muhamad wife and three young children are British citizens resident in the UK.
For more information, visit
http://clearmyconscience.org/index.php/navigation_menus/mohammed_fashi (javascript:ol('http://clearmyconscience.org/index.php/navigation_menus/mohammed_fashi');)
2. Action Required
a. Write to the British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Stephen Wright and urge him to
provide Mohamed Fashi with full legal representation and to work towards his
immediate release.
HM Sir Stephen Wright
British Embassy
C/ Fernando el Santo, 16
28010 Madrid
Tel: +34 91 524 9700
Fax: +34 91 700 8272
Email: madridconsulate@fco.gov.uk (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=madridconsulate@fco.gov.uk&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
b. Write to the European Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Thomas Hammarberg
and urge him to provide Mohamed Fashi with full legal representation and to work
towards his immediate release.
Mr. Thomas Hammarberg
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel: +33 3 88 41 34 21
Fax : +33 3 90 21 50 53
commissioner@coe.int (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=commissioner@coe.int&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
c. Write to the Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and express your concerns
regarding Mohamed Fashi’s imprisonment.
Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Tel: +44 0207 008 1500
Fax: +44 0207 839 2417
Email: private.office@fco.gov.uk (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=private.office@fco.gov.uk&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample letter is given below for your convenience
Sample Letter
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Date]
Dear [INSERT NAME],
Re: British Resident Detained in Spain
I am writing to you to request the immediate release of Mohamed Fashi, a British
resident who was arrested in Spain on 10 January 2006, on charges of terrorism.
He has been accused of ‘recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency’ but no
evidence has been found supporting this claim. Before his arrest, he was the
President of the Islamic Cultural Association that he had set up within the Town
Council in Spain. He had been making efforts to promote cohesion and
understanding within the different communities in Spain through peaceful
measures.
Currently he is not even being provided adequate legal representation and his
legal case is being kept ‘secret.’ Even his lawyer is not provided with complete
information.
There is also huge concern about whether he is being treated in accordance with
international human rights standards. It has been reported that he was severely
tortured and drugged at the time of his arrest. NGOs such as Human Rights Watch
have also reported that Spanish authorities routinely violate the human rights
of detainees held under charges of terrorism.
Mr Fashi’s wife and three children are British citizens who have been
traumatized by his arrest and by the injustice he has faced in prison.
I urge you to request the Spanish authorities to offer Mohamed Fashi a fair
trial with full access to independent legal representation. If he is not found
guilty, he must be released without delay.
I look forward to hearing from you soon on this matter,
Yours Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
________________
For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below.
“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of
the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our
Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give
us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.
Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom
Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org (http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5ca70c18f478e3d23042b328f31e43dc09806b090a027874 247964148f068305&mailto=1&to=info@ihrc.org&msg=BA9323F8-4BC5-4F79-B52F-975A2159DB1A&start=0&len=6644&src=&type=x)
Web: www.ihrc.org,