Shahbaz Bhatti murder: Churches announce 3-day mourning

Shahbaz Bhatti murder: NCJP update
March 2, 2011
by Citizens for Democracy

Churches announce three-day mourning: all missionary schools closed. Sunday March 6 to be observed as a day of prayer and fasting.

March 3: demonstration in Faisalabad , 11 am, starting from Catholic Church Railway Road to Press Club.

The Mirror Update (from the National Commission for Justice and Peace)

Assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti (1968-2011), Federal Minister for Minority Affairs

Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti Federal Minister for Minority Affairs was assassinated by unknown assailants on March 2, 2011, near his residence in I/8 Sector, Islamabad. He received 30 bullets fired by two gunmen with automatic rifle(s). He was rushed to a Hospital by his driver, and pronounced dead by the doctors.

While the Taliban claimed the responsibility, the attack was widely condemned at national and international level. President, Prime minister of Pakistan, Chief Minister Punjab, Muthida Qaumi Movement, Minister for Foreign Affairs Germany, Pakistan Muslim League N, Civil Society of Pakistan and Christian leadership has strongly condemned the assassination of Mr. Bhatti. His funeral is expected to take place on March 4, with the burial in Khushpur, his native village near Faisalabad.

The backdrop of the assassination is the need and demand to bring about changes in the blasphemy laws of Pakistan with their known abuse and discrimination.

After the assassination of Governor Salman Taseer who expressed sympathy for Aasia Bibi a Christian convicted under the blasphemy law, this is another attack on the freedom of expression and conscience of the people of Pakistan and sovereignty of the state. The extremist forces want to silent all enlightened and moderate voices. The country has lost a patriot, and a progressive voice.

Public reaction

* Demonstrations were held in Islamabad, Lahore Karachi, Multan, Quetta and other cities of Pakistan condemning the incident.

* The Churches have announced the closure of Christian schools, etc. throughout the country for three days mourning, while the Sunday (6th March, 2011) will be observed as a day of prayer and fasting.

* There will be a demonstration in Faisalabad on 3rd March, 11 am, starting from Catholic Church Railway Road to Press Club.

NCJP Team
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Urgent Appeal: Support Pakistan’s Christian community in Punjab

Update July 19, 2010

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-102-2010
14 July 2010

PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat from extremist groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with blasphemy

ISSUE: Religious minorities, blasphemy law, threats, arbitrary detention

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that two Christian men are in imminent danger after they were arrested, without a legitimate investigation, for blasphemy. The police officers involved have not followed the penal code, which only allows such charges to be made after an investigation by the superintendent of police. Blasphemy can still be met with the death penalty in Pakistan.

Violent rallies by radical Muslims in the area have called for the men’s deaths, and Christians have reportedly begun to leave the neighbourhood. They fear that a new attack is planned for the end of the month, around the anniversary of a deadly attack on Christians 50km away in Korian village, Tehsil Gojra; six were set alight and burned to death. Mosque loudspeakers are also being freely used to incite the violence, which is illegal.

Immediate action must be taken to remove the men from danger, take up their case according to the laws and procedures of the country, and quell the rising tide of violence against the Christian community.

CASE NARRATIVE
Mr. Rashid Emmanuel, 32, is a pastor. On the evening of 2 July he received a telephone call from a man who claimed to be from the La Salle School, a prominent Christian educational centre. He asked to meet Mr. Rashid about an urgent matter at Zilla Council chowk (crossroads) in Faisalabad. When Rashid arrived later that evening he saw four persons standing in the dark; before ten uniformed police officers reportedly emerged and arrested him.

He was taken to the Civil Lines Police Station nearby and shown a photocopy of a four-page handwritten pamphlet that criticized Islam and its last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). The pamphlet appeared to be signed by Rashid and his younger brother Sajid Emmanuel, and instructed the reader to contact them for further information. It featured their cell phone numbers and national identity card numbers.

The police detained Rashid and released a boy who they had mistakenly thought to be Rashid’s brother. The blasphemy complaint was filed by Mr. Mohammad Khurram Shehzad, a printer who reportedly declared that his assistant had seen a man distributing the pamphlets at Lari Adda, the city’s main bus terminus, on 1 July. Based on this information the police filed a First Information Report (FIR), a legal document for case proceeding in the court).

However the blasphemy law was amended in 2004 specifically to avoid its abuse via baseless charges. As details below the blasphemy charge can still be met with the death penalty, yet it often arises amid neighbourhood vendettas. Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPP) now states that no case of blasphemy can be filed without the investigation of the superintendent of police.

A representative of the Christian community – Mr. Atif Jamil Pagan, the Chief of Pakistan Minorities Democratic Harmony Foundation – contacted the police and was told by the SHO that a sub inspector and an assistant superintendent had been chosen for the investigation; he allegedly acknowledged that they were not complying with section 295C of the PPC because they were under pressure from extremist Muslim groups in the community. The sub inspector, a Mr. Mohammad Hessian, later told Atif that the accused was being detained without evidence against him because the case was a sensitive one.

On 3 July we are told that the police took Rashid to the Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) for police remand, where the case was correctly refused. Religious matters are no longer under the authority of the ATC, as maintained in clause 780 of the Anti Terrorist Act (ATA) 1997. Rashid was taken to a duty magistrate in the Civil Lines jurisdiction, who agreed to his two-day remand in police custody, despite the breach of procedure.

We are told that during this time the sub inspector summoned Atif Pagan to the police station and asked that he produce Rashid’s young brother. For his protection, Pagan arranged for Sajid to be handed to the police in the presence of Bishop Joseph Couetts of Faisalabad. The police then asked the brothers to handwrite each pamphlets three times. On 7 July the writing samples were sent to experts in Lahore, around 200km from Faisalabad, but the experts reportedly replied that they could not work from the photocopied pamphlets.

During this time groups of organized Muslim activists started to rally against the brothers in public: we are told that the loudspeakers from a number of mosques were used illegally to do so, and to incite violence against local Christians (in breach, as noted below, of Section 3 of the Loud Speaker Act 1965). On 7 July a procession in Warispura saw local Muslim residents chanting threatening slogans against Christians; one chant called for the hanging of Rashid and Sajid, and we are informed that the mob attacked a Catholic Church, breaking its windows and doors. On 10 July persons in another procession burnt tires on the streets; a call went up declaring that Christians would not be allowed to live in Warispura. At 1am that night a procession of motorbikes took place, with riders allegedly harassing Christians who were leaving their homes with their belongings. The protestors announced that a meeting would be held at Ghanta Chowk on 11 July, a central gathering place for su ch rallies.

We are told that the police began efforts to address the protestors on the evening of 10 July, and that after a number of meetings it was agreed that the rallies and threats should stop.

However protest gatherings continued on 11 July, and united into a large meeting at noon, at which Muslim leaders from various religious political parties, among them Khatme-e-Nabowat, Jamiat Ulema-ePakistan and Namoos-e-Risalat reportedly reiterated death threats against the brothers, because the government had not sentenced them to death. We are told that among the speakers were Sahibzada Abulkhair Mahumed Zubair and Syed Hidayat Hussain Shah, who are known for inciting violence in the area. At the meeting it was announced that a set of gallows had been set up at the tower of Ghanta Ghar (in the centre of Faisalabad), in preparation for the hanging of blasphemous Christians.

We are told that the brothers remain in detention at the police station without adequate protection against mob violence. There are strong fears that they could be attacked. The men have reported that co-detainees are also threatening them. Immediate action must be taken to remove them from danger, provide strong state protection, take up their case according to the laws and procedures of the country, and quell the rising tide of violence against the Christian community.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Almost a year ago six Christians, two of them women, were set alight and burned to death under similar circumstances just 50km away in Korian village, Tehsil Gojra, as reported in urgent appeal: A human rights activist faces terrorism charges for publicising the murder of Christians, while the mullahs who encouraged the violence remain free and mentioned again in: Newspaper advertisements call for the murder of a human rights lawyer in Punjab; police silently spectate. Houses were also set on fire. The Christian community in Wasapura is extremely concerned that a similar attack could be planned around the anniversary of the Gojra violence, on 31 July. With such incidents already proven to be possible, it is imperative that these concerns are acted on, and the greatest efforts are taken by the administration to protect these Pakistanis from potent ial attack, and reassure them of their security and their rights.

Religious minority groups in Pakistan remain vulnerable due to the continued use and abuse of blasphemy charges, despite section 295C of the PPC. This must be strongly implemented if minorities are to be protected. Police who fail to follow the code and who operate under the directive of extremists in the community must face strong legal action. Charges of blasphemy are still met with the death penalty in Pakistan, and desecrating the Quran carries a life sentence.

The AHRC is also aware of several recent cases in which mosques have used loud speakers to provoke anger against religious minorities. Section 3 of Loud Speaker Act 1965 bans all types of speeches other than Azan (the call to prayer) and the Friday sermon in Arabic. Charges must be taken against those who allow the mosques to be used illegally to incite violence.

SUGGESTED ACTION
Please write letters to the authorities to remind them of their immediate responsibility to protect a threatened population of Christians in Faisalabad, Punjab province, and to urge immediate legal action against those inciting violence against them.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has written to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and the Independent Expert on minority issues

To support this appeal please click here
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UAC-102-2010

SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PAKISTAN: The Christian community in Punjab is under threat from extremist groups again; two brothers are illegally charged with blasphemy
Names of victims:
1. Mr. Rashid Emmanuel, son of Emmanuel
2. Mr. Sajid Emmanuel, son of Emmanuel
Both residents of house number T230, Galli number 5, Daud Nagar, Warispura, Faisalabad, Punjab
Names of those allegedly inciting religious violence:
1. Mr. Muhammad Khuram Shahzad, printer, Faisalabad, Punjab
2. Mr. Sahibzada Abulkhair Muhammad Zubair, Leader of Jamiat Ulema-ePakistan, Faisalabad, Punjab province
3. Mr. Syed Hidayat Huassain Shah, leader of Khatm-e-Nabowat, Faisalabad, Punjab province
4. Mr. Mufti Abdul Shakoor Rizvi, former member of Punjab assembly, Faisalabad, Punjab province
5. Mr. Mushtaq Ansari, Councilor of Union Council Warispura, Faisalabad, Punjab province
Date of incident: July 2, 2010
Place of incident: Warispura, Samandri, Faisalabad, Punjab province.

I am writing to voice my deep concern for the safety of two Christian men and their minority community, after they were arrested for blasphemy without a legitimate reason. I am told that the police officers involved have not followed the penal code, which only allows such charges to be made after an investigation by the superintendent of police, and that public rallies from radical Muslims in the area have called for the deaths of the men, and other Christians in the neighbourhood.

On the evening of 2 July Mr. Rashid Emmanuel received a telephone call from a man who claimed to be from a prominent Christian educational centre. He asked to meet Mr. Rashid about an urgent matter at Zilla Council chowk (crossroads) in Faisalabad. When Mr. Rashid arrived later that evening he reports that ten uniformed police officers emerged and arrested him. He was taken to the Civil Lines Police Station nearby and shown a photocopy of a four-page handwritten pamphlet that criticized Islam and its last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). The pamphlet appeared to be signed by Mr. Rashid and his younger brother Sajid Emmanuel, and instructed the reader to contact them for further information. It featured their cell phone numbers and national identity card numbers.

I am told that the police detained Mr. Rashid and released a boy who they had mistakenly thought to be Mr. Rashid’s brother. The blasphemy complaint was filed by Mr. Mohammad Khurram Shehzad, a printer who reportedly declared that his assistant had seen a man distributing the pamphlets at Lari Adda, the city’s main bus terminus, on 1 July. Based on this information the police filed a First Information Report (FIR), a legal document for case proceeding in the court). However as you must be aware, the blasphemy law was amended in 2004 specifically to avoid its abuse via baseless charges.

Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPP) now states that no case of blasphemy can be filed without the investigation of the superintendent of police.

A representative of the Christian community – Mr. Atif Jamil Pagan, the Chief of Pakistan Minorities Democratic Harmony Foundation – contacted the police and was told by station head officer (SHO) Aamir that a sub inspector and an assistant superintendent had been chosen for investigation; he apparently acknowledged that they were not complying with section 295C of the PPC because they were under pressure from extremist Muslim groups in the community.

On 3 July I am told that the police took Mr. Rashid to the Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) for police remand, where the case was correctly refused, and Mr. Rashid was taken to a duty magistrate in the Civil Lines jurisdiction, who agreed to his two-day remand in police custody.

In the mean time Mr. Sajid was handed to the police in the presence of Bishop Joseph Couetts of Faisalabad. The police have sent copies of their handwriting to experts in Lahore, but I understand that the experts reportedly replied that they could not work with the photocopy of the pamphlet.

I am concerned that during this time groups of organized Muslim activists were able to rally against the brothers in public, while inciting violence against Christians, and that loudspeakers from a number of mosques were used illegally to do so (this is illegal under Section 3 of the Loud Speaker Act 1965). On 7 July a procession in Warispura saw local Muslim residents chanting threatening slogans against Christians; one chant called for the hanging of Mr. Rashid and Sajid, and a mob attacked a Catholic Church, breaking its windows and doors.

On 10 July persons in another procession burnt tires on the streets; the threats escalated and a call went up declaring that Christians would not be allowed to live in Warispura. At 1am that night a procession of motorbikes took place, with riders allegedly harassing Christians who were leaving their homes with their belongings. The protestors announced that a meeting would be held at Ghanta Chowk on 11 July, a central gathering place for such rallies.

I understand that the police began efforts to address the protestors on the evening of 10 July, and after a number of meetings were held, it was agreed that the rallies and threats should stop.
However various public gatherings formed on 11 July, and a public meeting took place at noon, in which Muslim leaders from various religious political parties, among them Khatme-e-Nabowat, Jamiat Ulema-ePakistan and Namoos-e-Risalat reiterated death threats against the brothers due to the failure of the government to sentence them. Among the speakers were Sahibzada Abulkhair Mahumed Zubair and Syed Hidayat Hussain Shah, who are known for inciting violence in the area. At the meeting it was announced that a set of gallows had been set up at the tower of Ghanta Ghar (in the centre of Faisalabad), in preparation for the hanging of blasphemous Christians.

I am told that both men remain in detention at the police station, without adequate protection against mob violence. There are strong fears that the men could be attacked at any time. The men have reported that co-detainees are also threatening them. Immediate action must be taken to remove the men from danger, take up their case according to the laws and procedures of the country, and quell the rising tide of violence against the Christian community, members of which have begun to leave the neighbourhood.

Please note that there are real concerns about the possibility of violence due to the upcoming anniversary of a violent incident, in which police failed to act in time to protect the community, and have not sufficiently investigated since. On July 31 six Christians, two of them women, were set alight and burned to death under similar circumstances, just 50km away in Korian village, Tehsil Gojra. Houses were also set on fire. It is imperative that these concerns are acted on, and the greatest efforts are taken by the administration to protect these citizens from potential attack, and reassure them of their security and their rights.

As a final note, I would like to urge that stronger efforts go into the implementation of section 295C of the PPC. Police who fail to follow the code and who operate under the directive of extremists in the community must face strong legal action; as must those who break the law by allowing the loud speakers of mosques to be used to provoke anger against religious minorities.

Yours sincerely,
—————-

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO
1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad, PAKISTAN,
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
Phone 92-51-9204801-9214171
Fax 92-51-9207458

2. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com

3. Mr. Salman Taseer
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Mall Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99203044
Email: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk

4. Chief Secretary of Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 7324489
E-mail: chiefsecy@punjab.gov.pk

5. Minister of Law
Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Ravi Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92-42-99212004
E-mail: law@punjab.gov.pk

6. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk

7. Mr. Tariq Saleem
Inspector-General of Police, Punjab
Police Head Office, Lahore, Punjab province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92-42-99210064

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
ua@ahrc.asia

Also view Pakistani Christians face Blasphemy Laws again

Update July 19, 2010
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Pak Armed Forces threaten journalists covering Zarina Marri case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-023-2009
January 31, 2009

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: The Public Relations Department of the Armed Forces threatens the journalists covering the case of Zarina Marri

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), a public relations department of the armed forces of Pakistan denied the allegations that Ms. Zarina Marri (23) was in a military torture cell and used as a sex slave to induce arrested nationalist activists to sign state concocted confessions. Please see the statement issued by AHRC about:
ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2009statements/1843

The ISPR has also asked from the newspapers and other media, who have given coverage about the missing Zarina, to produce the first information report (FIR) about her arrest. In the effort to effectively deny the torture and forcing female prisoners to become sex slaves in army torture cells the officials of the ISPR have threatened newspapers and the electronic media with dire consequences if they continue to report on the issue of Zarina Marri.

The director of ISPR, who holds the rank of Major General, has personally contacted different news papers who had written editorials demanding probe into the allegations that the army is running torture cells and hold female prisoners. He threatened the newspapers that their official advertisements and its payments will be stopped if they continue with their ‘malicious campaign’ against the army. Some television channels came out about the threats but the federal minister for information then denied that director of the ISPR has made any such threats. He told the newspapers not to involve the Pakistan army in such campaign.

It is regretted that, instead of probing the case the army officials have started threatening the editors and column writers to stop reporting on the issue of army torture cells and their inhuman treatment with the women. The government of Mr. Asif Zardari, the President of Pakistan, should start a probe through a judicial commission on the allegations that the army is using torture cells and has been doing so since the Musharaf era. Since so many persons have testified before the courts and media there should be no difficulty for the government to bring the perpetrators who misused their power in the name of national security and war on terror, before the law.

It is the responsibility of the civilian government to come out with the statements on the allegations of military torture cells and not the duty of the army generals which shows that army is still more powerful in state affairs then the elected government. The AHRC urges that officials of the ISPR be instructed to stop threatening the journalists. Furthermore they must issue statements in the presence of ministry of information and government on the allegations of using women as sex slaves in the military custody.

ahrchk.net

No action taken to recover 18 year old

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-STM-024-2009
February 2, 2009

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: No action taken for the recovery of an 18 year old girl who was raped and kidnapped by the relatives of a minister

An 18-year-old girl, Ms R, of Pathan Mohalla, Mithiani, Tehsil and district Naushahro Feroz, Sindh province, trafficked to a family through marriage, has been raped by her father-in-law and other male members of his family for a period of almost one month. After she managed to escape, a Jirga (illegal court) was held and they ordered that the girl be returned to her parents. However, a second Jirga, conducted by Mr. Noorul Khan Bhurt, nephew of a Provincial Minister on Livestock, ordered that she be returned to her husband and his family on the basis that the girl’s parents had accepted money in exchange for the girl’s marriage. With the order of the second Jirga, the girl was kidnapped on October 21, 2008 and since that date her whereabouts remain unknown. Because of the involvement of the Provincial Minister the police are not taking action against the abduction and continuous rape of the girl. Please refer to our urgent appeal AHRC-UAC-008-2009 (A girl was raped and kidnapped by the relatives of a minister and her whereabouts are unknown).

After the passing of more than three months the Sindh provincial government has not taken any action to recover the girl from the clutches of the relatives of the Minister and his family. The safety and security of, not only Ms. R, but all the people under their jurisdiction is the prime duty of the provincial government. However, instead of living up to this responsibility government is instead protecting the minister and his henchmen. It is also reported that after the issuance of the urgent appeal from the AHRC, the Mithiani police station, whose station house officer was allegedly involved in providing safe passage to the abductors, has contacted the parents of the girl and threatened that if they continued to involve the minister and his nephew they would be arrested on murder charges. As per the details given in the aforementioned UA one of the attackers that raided the house of Ms. R’s family was shot dead.

The Asian Human rights Commission urges provincial government to recover the girl from the abductors and respect her rights provided by the International Covenant on Civil Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is signatory. It is obligatory for the government to follow the covenant and protect the life of each and every citizen without discrimination. The government must take stern action against the perpetrators and their henchmen regardless of their positions in the government, their power or their wealth. Pakistan has also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW) but has avoided implementing the convention in its true spirit. Taking the path of least resistance it is keeping the existing political system running because of the powerful feudal lords and tribal leaders who hold Jirgas against women.

ahrchk.net

PDI Declares launch of WAKE UP! Campaign against Honor Killing

Violence against women is a cruel reality for Women around the Globe and in Pakistan it is one of the main issues women face, Women keep on being victims of severe violence in Pakistan and not having a say for their rights they are reserved and accepting on the truth to be brutally victimized.

Though Violence against women takes a dismaying variety of forms, but the worst form which snatches away the lives of millions of women each year is “Honor Killings”. Each year, uncountable amount of women are killed, burnt, sold, exchanged and handed out to different tribes for compensation for a conflict in the name of honor.

According to UN about more then one thousand women are killed in Pakistan each year in the name of honor. These are the cases that are reported but thousands go unregistered and unnoticed. Despite having different laws about the criminal custom, signing on declarations and participating in conventions, Pakistan has not yet been able to make even the smallest change in the lives of women living under tribal codes of honor.

PDI like other many organizations in Pakistan has been actively engaged in working towards putting an end to this inhuman act. From advocacy to empowerment of local women in rural areas, PDI has also been part of various regional and international movements.

Since January 2008 PDI had launched an online campaign, WAKE UP!!! Campaign against Honor Killing that recruits international Change Agents. Since then WAKE UP has been the second vibrant online campaign against honor killing to reach out to more then three thousands of people from around the world and use innovative approaches of media as a great tool to bring positive change.

http://tinyurl.com/6j2dtm

http://tinyurl.com/65hsap

Just Recently Oxfam Australia and PDI joined hands on the practical launch of WAKE UP and today in a an Assembly organized by PDI Khuzdar at Khuzdar, Balochistan on the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, PDI and Oxfam Officially declare the launch of WAKE UP!!! Campaign against Honor Killing.

WAKE UP targets youth, local communities, organizations, media and policy makers. Using effective ways of advocacy it highlights the past mistakes and new approaches, not forgetting to learn what went wrong from all these years of Law making.

It is in its initial stages of reaching out to the stake holders and needs as much as support, It is about time a dilute action be carried on the merciless customs!

To learn more, go to: http://participatorydevelopment.blogspot.com/2008/11/pdi-declares-launch…

stop-stoning.org

Call ‘Toronto Life’ on their Misrepresentation of Aqsa Parvez’s Murder

Shaheed Bibi Aqsa Parvez: Brampton

Don’t Believe the Hype!!!
Call to Action against Toronto Life’s Misrepresentation of Aqsa Parvez’s Murder

The December 2008 edition of ‘Toronto Life’ features the story of Aqsa Parvez, a young Muslim woman who was killed in her home in Mississauga last winter. View it here: torontolife.com/features/girl-interrupted.

While featuring Aqsa’s story is recognition of a young woman’s life cut tragically short, the Toronto Life article perpetuates common stereotypes about Muslim and immigrant communities, diverting attention from the urgent issue of violence against women across Canada.

On Tuesday November 11th, join us in a “Don’t’ Believe the Hype” Campaign!
We are asking you to raise your voice on the important issue of violence against women, racism, and Islamophobia.

Get Involved in Three Ways!!
1) EMAIL or PHONE Toronto Life Editor in Chief, Sarah Fulford.
You can reach Ms. Fulford at:
Phone: 416-364-3333 ext 3063
Email: editor@torontolife.com or letters@torontolife.com
Once you do that, call up five of your friends and get them to do the same.
WHEN?
Between 9am – 9pm on Tuesday November 11th
(If that doesn’t work for you, anytime is better than never!)
WHY?
Violence against women, racism, and Islamophobia are issues that affect all of us in diverse and important ways. Join us in voicing your concerns and helping to call attention to misrepresentations that are all too common in our media.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
This number 416-364-3333 ext 3063 will take you directly to Sarah Fulford’s office, where her assistant will either pick up, or you will be put through to her assistant’s voicemail. You can leave a personal message or voicemail recording for her assistant to pass on to Ms. Fulford.
WHAT TO SAY?
Identify who you are and where you are from. State that you are leaving a message for Sarah Fulford, the Editor In Chief, and express your dismay with the article on Aqsa Parvez.
Bonus Points: Talk about a personal experience that proves to you why addressing this issue is so important and urgent.
Here are a couple of talking points about the article that may help. Feel free to use them directly or make up your own:
1) Aqsa’s murder must be looked at through the larger context of violence against women in Canada. The problem is not limited to any one community or religious faith.
2) The article calls Aqsa’s murder “Toronto’s first honour killing”. Approximately 25 women a year are murdered in incidents of domestic violence. The use of the term “honour killing” is an attempt to sensationalize the situation by invoking common stereotypes about the prevalence of “honour killings” among South Asian Muslim families, thereby suggesting that domestic violence is not occurring at alarming rates across Canada. Instead, we should be working to end violence against all women.
3) The article associates Muslim religiousity with a tendency towards violence. In other words, the more religious a Muslim is, the more likely s/he is to engage in this type of violence. This is false and based on Islamophobic stereotyping.
4) The question, “Has multiculturalism gone too far?” suggests that Muslims and immigrants are threats to Canadian society, rather than contributing members to Canadian society. The idea that “our” tolerance or respect for cultural diversity has let “them” continue their oppressive and dangerous behaviours is not only based on racist and Islamophobic stereotyping of diverse Muslim and immigrant communities, but also ignores the ongoing racism that exists in Canada despite our public commitment to multiculturalism.
5) The focus should be on violence against women, not hijab. The article sets up a false dichotomy between Muslim women who wear the hijab as oppressed and Muslim women who do not wear the hijab as liberated. Furthermore, it reinforces the idea that all young girls want the same things, completely ignoring the diversity and richness of Muslim women’s voices and lived experiences.

2) COME TO THE SPEAK OUT AND PRESS CONFERENCE
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
10:30 AM at YWCA located at
80 Woodlawn Avenue East, Main Lounge.
Panelists include representatives of Muslim Young Women, Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence against Women and Children, Urban Alliance on Race Relations.
For more information contact:
michelle@urbanalliance.ca
416-703-6607 x 3

3) SUBMIT TO THE AQSA ZINE #1. It is a grassroots zine that is open to all 13-35 year old young women who self-identify as Muslim. This issue’s theme is self-defense and resistance. It is a creative avenue for us to express ourselves, share our own experiences, and connect with others.
Submissions deadline is December 1, 2008.
Email: aqsazine@gmail.com
Blog: aqsazine.blogspot.com

Michelle Cho
Project Coordinator
Urban Alliance on Race Relations
302 Spadina Ave. Ste. 507
Toronto, Ontario M5T 2E7
416-703-6607 Ext. 3

Shaheed Bibi Aqsa Parvez: Brampton

Call for Action: Shaheed Bibi Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow

Somalia: Stoning to death of a 13-year old girl

WHAT YOU CAN DO
You can write a letter to the representatives of Somalia, the African Union, and various UN human rights offices to encourage them to take action by investigating this murder, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and denouncing the actions of these insurgents.

SAMPLE LETTER

[date]

Subject: Subject: Stoning of Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow in Somalia

Dear [Sir / Madam],

We are deeply concerned to learn about the stoning to death of Aisha Ibrahim Dhuhulow, a 13 year old Somali girl who was publically tortured and murdered Monday October 27 2008 in the local square in Kismayu, Somalia.

Accused of adultery, Aisha Ibrahim Dhuhulow was buried up to her neck in front of around 1000 people while stones were hurled at her head. Witnesses to the stoning said the militants, known as al-Shabaab, accused the woman of adultery and extracted a confession. Although all standard interpretations of “sharia” (or, collections of various Muslim laws and their interpretations) dictate that adultery must be proven by four eye witnesses in a court of law, the Somali Concern Group reported that the killing was extra-judicial, and that the woman did not receive a trial.

Stoning is not mentioned anywhere in the Quran and is considered by many respected Muslim scholars to be un-Islamic. Many Muslim nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Tunisia, Algeria and others have banned death by stoning. Despite calls for abolition from around the globe, stoning still occurs in several countries, either under law or by the community.

Members of al-Shabaab apparently publicized the execution, killing the woman in front of hundreds of people at the town square. When a relative and others pushed forward to rescue the victim, guards opened fire, killing a child. Islamist leaders have reportedly apologized for killing the child, but offered no such repentance for the stoning of Dhuhulow.

Stoning is a grave and serious violation of International Human Rights Law. Stoning breeches the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights (1966). Somalia acceded to the convention in 1990.

Article 6 of the ICCPR states that “in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes”, of which adultery is not.

Article 7 of the ICCPR states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. This last injunction is reinforced in the 1985 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) to which Somalia acceded in 1990.

Although the killing was carried out by non-state insurgents, Article 2 of the CAT states that “each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.”

Somalia is one of the only countries in the world that has not signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We encourage you to use your influence and authority to promote and preserve human rights, peace and security in the region. We urge a prompt and impartial investigation into this grave case. Members of al-Shabaab as well as every individual who took part in the stoning must be brought to justice, and the African Union should take due diligence in taking every possible measure in order to prevent any such violation of women’s human rights from reoccurring.

We thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.

Yours Sincerely,

[Your name / your organization]

ADDRESSES:

Representatives of Somalia

The Somali Prime Minister Office
HE. Ali Mohamed Gedi
P.O. Box 623 – 00606
Sarit, Somalia
premiersom@somali-gov.info
Fax: +252-5-974242

Prime Minister’s Secretary
Mr. Abukar Ali Abdirahman (Abukar Ga’al)
pmsecretary@somali-gov.info
Fax: +252-5-974242

African Union

African Union Headquarters
P.O. Box 3243, Roosevelt Street (Old Airport Area)
W21K19, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fax: +251 11 551 78 44

Social Affairs Commissioner
Adv. Bience P. Gawanas
Fax: +251 11 550 49 85

Directorate of Peace and Security
Mr Geofrey Mugumya
Fax: +251 11-552 58 72
dpeace@africa-union.org

Directorate of Women, Gender and Development
Mrs. Litha Musyimi-Ogana
Fax: +251 11-551 78 44
dgender@africa-union.org

United Nations Human Rights Bodies

Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Its Causes and Consequences
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
urgent-action@ohchr.org

Mr. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
urgent-action@ohchr.org

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
c/o Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Secretariat
2 United Nations Plaza
DC-2/12th Floor
New York, NY 10017
United States of America
Fax: + 1-212-963-3463

Ms. Navanethem Pillay
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 9179022

Ms Yanghee Lee
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 9179022

Please also copy all correspondence to wluml@wluml.org

BACKGROUND

Somalia: Woman stoned to death for adultery
29/10/2008: Somali Islamists have stoned to death a woman accused of adultery, witnesses said, the first such public killing by the militants for about two years. (Independent / Reuters)

The woman was placed in a hole up to her neck for the execution late yesterday in front of hundreds of people in a square in the southern port of Kismayu, which the Islamist insurgents captured in August.

Stones were hurled at her head and she was pulled out three times to see if she was dead, witnesses said. When a relative and others surged forward, guards opened fire, killing a child.

“A woman in green veil and black mask was brought in a car as we waited to watch the merciless act of stoning,” one local resident, Abdullahi Aden, told Reuters.

“We were told she submitted herself to be punished, yet we could see her screaming as she was forcefully bound, legs and hands. A relative of hers ran towards her, but the Islamists opened fire and killed a child.”

The European Union’s presidency condemned the stoning.

“The EU … condemns a particularly vile execution, which the Islamist insurgents who took control of the city deliberately publicised,” it said in a statement.

The Islamists last carried out public executions when they ruled Mogadishu and most of south Somalia for half of 2006. Allied Ethiopian and Somali government forces toppled them at the end of that year, but they have waged an Iraq-style guerrilla campaign since then, gradually taking territory back.

As when they ruled Mogadishu in 2006, the Islamists now controlling the Kismayu area are again providing much-needed security, but also imposing fundamentalist practices such as banning forms of entertainment seen as anti-Islamic.

Relatives of the woman executed in Kismayu, whom they named as Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow, were furious.

“The stoning was totally irreligious and illogical,” said her sister, who asked not to be named. “Islam does not execute a woman for adultery unless four witnesses and the man with whom she committed sex are brought forward publicly.”

Islamist leaders at the execution said the woman had broken Islamic law. They promised to punish the guard who had shot the child in the melee around the execution.

“We apologise for killing the child. And we promise we shall bring the one who opened fire before the courts and deal with him accordingly,” one unnamed Islamist leader told the crowd.

28 October 2008

Source: The Independent / Reuters

stop-stoning.org

Send An Appeal Letter: Support Shaheed Women Buried Alive in Balochistan

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has evolved a great system of sending appeal letters to Pakistan and UN authorities to assure that the systems and individuals involved in this crime are brought to scrutiny and justice. This is the link to it:
Send An Appeal Letter

For more information and links on the case:
‘Violence Against Women’? No! GENDER-CIDE in Pakistan!

We must send letters to build strength for movements for human rights, democracy and equality in Pakistan.

Please Keep sending these letters even if the email boxes of Pakistan Government officials are full, and your emails are returning toyou. The action in itself records the support needed, and sends it to a UN Reporteur.

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PAKISTAN: Three more women allegedly buried in Balochistan

Send An Appeal Letter

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-215-2008

26 September 2008

PAKISTAN: Three more women allegedly buried in same way as five women buried in Balochistan

ISSUES: Violence against women; impunity; no investigation; abduction; murder; honour killing; rule of law

Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is shocked to learn that three more women have been buried alive in Balochistan province, a few days after they protested against the live burial of five women taking place in the same province (AHRC-UAC-182-2008). One prime perpetrator of the murder has not been seen since he was taken into police custody. It is reported that he and seven other men involved are under the protection of the provincial minister Mr. Sadiq Umrani–the brother of the main suspect.

CASE DETAILS
According to information received, the three women had spoken out in the case of the live burial of five women (please refer to AHRC-UAC-182-2008). They were allegedly abducted by Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani–the younger brother of the provincial minister–and other thugs, including a head constable of police. It is reported that the three women were also buried alive using the same tractor as in the case of the first five women. The women were from Teendah and Mirwah villages in Naseerabad (names withheld for security reasons of their family members). As of now, the number of women who have been buried rises to eight in the area.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Umrani, the head constable of police and bodyguard to Abdul Sattar Umrani, has still not been arrested and continues serving as a personal bodyguard.

It is reported that suspects are hiding under the protection of the provincial minister, Mr. Sadiq Umrani. The alleged main perpetrator, Mr. Mohammed Murad, Nazim (chief) of Union Consul Garhi Raman–the owner of the tractor–was taken into police custody last week. He was handed over to the crime branch of the Balochistan police, who deny that he was handed over. It is believed that he too is now under provincial protection.

Send An Appeal Letter

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Detailed information has been obtained regarding an earlier case in which Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani was involved (AHRC-STM-234-2008). In this case, he forcibly occupied the land of Haji Bulab Palali in Moza Tharoo, Babakot, and gave the house to his brother, at the same time that his brother became provincial of housing in May 2008. It caused armed fighting between the two parties and one man from the Umrani side, Mr. Abdul Fateh Bangal, was killed.

In an act of revenge for Bangal’s death, Umrani’s side attacked Haji’s house together with Mr. Mohammed Murad. During the assault they killed eight people including the wife of Haji and his four sons.

After the killings took place, Mr. Nadir Magsi, minister of Sindh province held a Jirga that decided upon a fine of Rs. 10 million (around USD 150,000) against Abdul Sattar Umrani. He made a payment of Rs. 1 million for the murder of each person and 2 million rupees for dishonoring the sanctity of another’s house by attacking it. However, the police have not yet instigated an investigation or made any effort to arrest those responsible.

Please also refer to an open letter to Dr. Yakin Erturk, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women sent by the Asian Human Rights Commission concerning the burying alive of five women. (AHRC-OLT-021-2008).

Send An Appeal Letter

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The courts of Pakistan, including the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court, have declared the Jirga as illegal and unconstitutional. Nevertheless, it is still a common practice in feudal and tribal based areas (please refer to our previous appeals: AHRC-UAC-193-2008, AHRC-UAC-182-2008, AHRC-UAC-144-2008, UP-89-2007, UA-175-2005).

The Government of Pakistan has not taken any positive action to eliminate discrimination against women. By allowing the illegal Jirga system to continue they are turning a blind eye to the grave inconsistencies in the judiciary system in Pakistan.

SUGGESTED ACTION
Please write an appeal to the following authorities demanding the arrest of the real perpetrators and an independent enquiry into the continuous burial alive of women by persons in power.

Please be informed that the AHRC has also written letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women calling for an intervention in this case.

Send An Appeal Letter

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Three more women buried alive in Balochistan

They are burying women alive for raising voices for their basic human rights!

Geo News is reporting that three more women were buried alive in Balochistan (same place as the five other women).

The newest victims were old women who were killed because they criticised the tribal leader.

cmkp_pk

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