![Eid Saeed to all who celebrate! A few days ago, Judge Borman changed the date of the status hearing from Friday, August 1st, to Thursday, July 31st. Join the National Rasmea […]](https://uspcn.ipower.com/wp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/rasmea-620x300.jpg "REMINDER: Rasmea’s status hearing in Detroit July 31; Make Zakat-eligible donation")
Eid Saeed to all who celebrate!
A few days ago, Judge Borman changed the date of the status hearing from Friday, August 1st, to Thursday, July 31st.
Join the National Rasmea Defense Committee–United States Palestinian Community Network, Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), Coalition to Protect People’s Rights (CPPR), American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)-Chicago, American Muslims for Palestine, Anti-War Committee (AWC)-Chicago, AWC-Minneapolis, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Committee Against Political Repression, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-Chicago, CAIR-Michigan,Lifta Society, National Lawyers Guild (NLG), National Students for Justice in Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago, Palestine Solidarity Legal Support,Palestinian Youth Movement-USA Branch, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, and many others–as we accompany Rasmea Odeh to Detroit for a veryimportant status hearing on Thursday, July 31st, 2014.
WHERE: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
231 W. Lafayette Blvd., in Detroit, Michigan
WHEN: We will gather on Thursday, July 31st, at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time (hearing begins at 2 PM EST)
* There are cars departing Chicago at 6:30 AM on July 31st. If you want a seat in one of the cars, or if you are planning to drive and can take others, please write to Joe Iosbaker of CSFR at [email protected].
** People mobilizing for the hearing from other cities and states should also email Iosbaker, so that we can get as accurate a count as possible of attendees.
*** In addition, for those who cannot go to Detroit, we are calling for support rallies to be organized across the country on the day of the hearing. Already, Minneapolis’ Anti-War Committee has one scheduled, and we will announce others.
**** Lastly, call the prosecutors on July 31st and demand that they drop the charges!
Thursday, July 31, 9 am to 5 pm Eastern Time
Call Jonathan Tukel in Detroit at 313-226-9749
Chief of National Security Unit, U.S. Attorney’s office, Eastern District of Michigan
Call Barbara McQuade in Detroit at 313-226-9100 or
313-226-9501 (voicemail)
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan
When you call, you can say, “Hello, my name is ________, and I am calling from _________ to demand that U.S. Attorney McQuade drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh.”
Background: On October 22nd, 2013, Rasmea was arrested by the Department of Homeland Security and charged with Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization, for allegedly failing to disclose that she had been imprisoned by the Israelis in Palestine over 45 years ago. The wrongful conviction in Palestine was the result of vicious physical and sexual torture by the Israelis, so Rasmea is fighting this U.S. charge in a Detroit courtroom, where the full trial begins on September 8th.
Like so many other victims of political repression in this country, especially African Americans; Puerto Ricans; Mexicans, Latinos, and other immigrants; Arabs and Muslims; and peace activists; she has committed no crime, and is only under attack because she is a Palestinian icon, known worldwide as a leading representative of the legitimate Palestinian struggle for self determination, independence, and the Right of Return.
Please join us in Detroit for this status hearing. We must fill the courtroom, and be outside with our banners, posters, and flags–to show the judge, the prosecutors, and the whole world that Rasmea has broad and unqualified support.
See uspcn.org and stopfbi.net for more information, and our recent press release below:
Replace pro-Israeli judge, say Odeh lawyers (published July 16th)
In a major development, attorneys for Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh filed a motion July 14th, calling for Judge Paul D. Borman to step down from the case. The supporting brief argues that Borman, as a life-long and dedicated supporter of Israel, cannot play the “neutral and detached” role that the law requires.
A spurious report from the Associated Press irresponsibly presumes that the defense is bringing this motion because Judge Borman is an American Jew. Odeh and her attorneys, including Michael Deutsch, who is an American Jew himself, deny this, noting that the motion and supporting brief extensively document Borman’s close ties to the State of Israel, never once mentioning his religion. The AP article has been picked up across the country, and the national Rasmea Defense Committee demands a retraction.
Odeh has pled not guilty to Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization, a charge alleging that she failed to mention, in her 2004 application for U.S. citizenship, that she was arrested in Palestine 45 years ago, and tried in an Israeli military court that “convicts” 99.74% of Palestinians who come before it. Odeh was physically and sexually tortured into a confession by Israeli prison authorities in 1969.
The motion describes how this is important to her defense: “The defendant’s case directly raises issues about the legality of the continuing 47 year belligerent occupation of the West Bank by the State of Israel and the State’s policy of sanctioning the systematic torture of Palestinian detainees by the Israeli military and security police.”
In the papers filed with the court this week, attorneys Deutsch and James Fennerty describe Judge Borman’s long history of support for Israel, including fund raising for, and donating millions of dollars of his own money to the state. They argue: “Clearly, one who has been a life-long supporter and promoter of Israel and has deep ties to the State of Israel spanning over 50 years, who no doubts believes that Israel is a great democracy and protector of human rights, cannot be ‘reasonably’ said to be impartial when these claims of torture and illegality are raised by a Palestinian defendant.
“Further, it is reasonable to conclude that as a result of this Court’s many trips to Israel, and its active support and substantial efforts in fund raising for the State of Israel, that this Court has ‘personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning this case.’”
According to one of the defense committee’s spokespeople, Hatem Abudayyeh, “This motion is about trying to get Rasmea a fair trial. Borman’s bias is clear.
“Winning this case is not limited to a legal strategy,” Abudayyeh continued. “Thousands of people from across the country are supporting and fighting for Rasmea Odeh. We are urging the government to drop the charges against her. If they don’t, we are mobilizing to fill the courtroom every day of the trial.”
The trial is set for September 8 in Detroit.
Step Down, Judge Borman!
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To: Family, Friends, and All Supporters of Justice.
Re: Donating to Rasmea’s defense fund.
As we near the end of Ramadan, we hope that you all had a wonderful month. Ramadan is a time of reflection, spiritual development and renewed efforts to bring ease to those who are struggling with injustice here at home and around the world.
Rasmea Odeh is a beloved and respected leader who has organized in support of hundreds of families, especially women and children, in the Arab and Muslim communities of Chicagoland. Last year, the Chicago Cultural Alliance named Rasmea as its Outstanding Community Leader for her more than 40 years of community service.
Our dear sister is currently facing trial on politically motivated charges based the outcome of an Israeli military kangaroo court 45 years ago. The Israeli military viciously tortured Rasmea until she confessed to a crime she did not commit. Now the US Attorney’s Office is using that tortured confession as a basis for immigration charges. She faces the revocation of her US citizenship, 10 years in prison, and deportation. These charges are a political attack on her, on her community, and on all anti-war and Palestine support activists.
Rasmea and our Palestinian community needs your support! Sheikh Jamal Said of the Mosque Foundation has assured us that payments to Rasmea’s defense fund are Zakat eligible. Please donate NOW!
Thank you very much and Eid Mubarak!
Sincerely,
Mofeed Bages, Shafic Budron, Abder Ghouleh, Amani Ghouleh, Sofian Hasan, Rafeeq Jaber, Dima Khalidi, Rasmea Odeh, Kristin Szremski, Mansour Tadros
Coalition to Protect People’s Rights coordinating committee
