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February 9 – 21: Events across United States support Rasmea Odeh with live streams, concerts and more

rockrasmThe national week of action February 9-13 to defend Rasmea Odeh is shaping up with events across the United States to defend Rasmea! (See below for complete list.) There is also a new website focused just on the campaign to defend Rasmea Odeh: http://justice4rasmea.org.

The Campaign to Stop FBI Repression is organizing Livestream events, in which Rasmea can join local events over an internet connection:

Friday, Feb. 13. 6:30 pm CST
Sunday, Feb. 15. 2:00 pm CST
Thursday, Feb. 19. 8:00 pm CST

FORMAT :
Rasmea will give a prepared talk and take questions that are submitted via chat or email. The proposal is that her talk would be part of a program that includes at least one local speaker on the next steps in defense work, but it will also work within a program on political repression, Palestine, etc.

HOW:
Your event location will need an active internet connection and a computer with speakers for viewing the stream. If you expect a lot of people and have access to a digital projector and screen that can be a nice addition.

If you wish to ask questions from your location it may be more convenient to have a second device with chat or email capability, like a smartphone, laptop, tablet etc.

The live stream will be broadcast on the StopFBI.net You Tube Channel. Confirm the broadcast link and other day-of-event information by emailing the organizers at info@stopfbi.net, RE: Rasmea live stream

Students for Justice in Palestine – Chicago hold successful fundraiser for Rasmea

Fight Back! News reported that a successful fundraiser, Sumoud, was organized for Rasmea in Chicago on February 3 despite Zionist opposition. – Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at DePaul University held a fundraiser for Rasmea Odeh here, Feb. 3, with over 200 in attendance. Speaker after speaker rose to declare their support for Chicago’s legendary Palestinian woman activist. Odeh, who survived brutal torture and rape at the hands of Israeli prison guards, was put on trial by the U.S. Attorney in Detroit. She faces 10 years of prison and deportation at her March 12 sentencing hearing, for failing to reveal her 1969 conviction in an illegal, Israeli military court, when she applied for citizenship in the U.S.

The SJP event became the center of a media storm and a controversy with DePaul’s administration when the Zionist Organization of America vilified Odeh and her student supporters. Performing at the dinner, Amir Zahr, a well-known Palestinian comic, drew laughs and applause when he scoffed at the small group of racist Zionists outside with signs against Odeh, stating “Remember when we were the counter-protesters and nobody would listen to us. How things have changed!”

Week of Action to Defend Rasmea

Seattle, Washington
Monday, Feb. 9th
Protest for Rasmea
4:30 to 5:30pm
Western District Federal Court House
700 Stewart Street
Seattle

Tampa, Florida
Monday, February 9
Sign Waving for Rasmea
5:00 to 6:00 pm
56th St. and Fowler Ave.
Tampa, NC 33617
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/658909987553330/

Salt Lake City, Utah
Thursday, February 12
Protest for Rasmea
7:00pm in MST
Wallace Bennett Federal Building
125 S State St, Salt Lake City, Utah 84138
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/746444165451972/

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Thursday, February 12
Informational Protest for Rasmea Odeh
12:00 – 1:00 pm
University of New Mexico Bookstore
2301 Central NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1527168947548782/

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Friday, February 13
Rasmea Speaks! Livestream
6:00pm in CST
4200 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/335491259984824

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Friday, February 13
Solidarity with Rasmea Odeh: Panel and Livestream
7:00 to 8:00 pm
Institute for Global Education
1118 Wealthy Street, SE
Grand Rapids, MI

New York, NY
Friday, February 13
Solidarity with Rasmea Odeh Event in NYC
6:45pm
The Riverside Church in the City of New York, Room 240
Featuring: Muhammad Sankari from the Rasmea Defense Committee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1544779365782153/

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Friday, February 13
Social and Solidarity with Rasmea Odeh
6:00pm – 9:00pm in CST
Marquette University
Lalumiere Hall Rm 288
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1381081942203225/

Tucson, Arizona
Sunday, February 15
Rasmea Odeh – Live Stream Solidarity
12:30 pm
Revolutionary Grounds Books and Coffee
606 N 4th Ave
Tucson, AZ 85705
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1593962427485790/

San Francisco, California
Thursday, February 19th
Live Stream with Rasmea Odeh
6:00 pm
518 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/797734336963444/

Miami, Florida
Thursday, February 19
South Florida Speaks with Rasmea Odeh
6:00 pm
Florida International University
11200 SW 8th St,
Miami, FL 33199
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1059892270703267/

Dallas, Texas
Thursday, February 19
Live Stream with Rasmea Odeh
7:15 pm
Pan African Connection
828 4th Ave.
Dallas, TX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1393585210949766/

Tampa, Florida
Saturday, February 21
Panel: State Repression and War on Terror
4:00 to 5:00 pm
First United Church of Tampa
7308 E. Fowler Ave.
Tampa, FL 33617
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/444820445667294/

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saturday, February 21
Rock for Rasmea!
6:30 PM – Midnight
Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1380269175612281
More info: http://rockforrasmea.com

13 February, NYC: Solidarity with Rasmea Odeh Event

Solidarity with Rasmea Odeh Event in NYC
Friday, February 13 at 6:45pm
The Riverside Church in the City of New York, Room 240
Featuring: Muhammad Sankari from the Rasmea Defense Committee

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1544779365782153/

Muhammad Sankari is an organizer at the Arab American Action Network in Chicago. We plan to live stream with Rasmea Odeh in order to watch her speak to us and answer questions from the audience.

Rasmea Defense Committee, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, are part of the national week of action to defend Rasmea Odeh from Feb 9th15th!
http://www.stopfbi.net and http://www.uspcn.org/

rasmeany

1 February, Beirut: Solidarity Rally with Georges Ibrahim Abdallah

Solidarity with Georges Ibrahim Abdallah
Sunday, 1 February
12:00 PM
French Embassy – Beirut, Lebanon
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/913405442033701/

On 5 November, 2014, the Paris parole court dismissed Georges Ibrahim Abdallah’s application for parole, on the grounds that it was “inadmissible” because he was not subject to an existing deportation order. This once again proved that the imprisonment of Abdallah, now in his 31st year of detention, is a political decision of the French state. In 2012, Manuel Valls, then interior minister, refused to sign a deportation order following approval of Abdallah’s last parole application, which would have allowed him to return immediately to his home country, Lebanon.

Georges Abdallah immediately appealed the parole decision, and the appeal will be considered in a non-public hearing on 29 January 2015. This Beirut solidarity rally comes to support the appeal hearing of this Lebanese Communist activist, a struggler for the Palestinian cause.

Lina Khattab and fellow women Palestinian political prisoners report abuse and mistreatment

Palestinian women prisoners have been subject to abuse and mistreatment under arrest and inside Israel’s HaSharon prison, reported Palestinian lawyer Hanan al-Khatib.

Lina Khattab, the Bir Zeit University media student and El-Funoun folkloric dancer whose hearing has been postponed multiple times since her arrest on 13 December, reported that she was abused and beaten by Israeli soldiers during her detention, and one of the soldiers hit her, ripped her clothes and shouted obscene insults at her. Yasmin Shaaban also reported that when she was arrested on 3 November, she was bound for a long time to a stiff chair in stress positions and was threatened with the arrest of her family members in order to coerce a confession. She was denied the right to see a lawyer and was held in a dirty, humid interrogation cell.

Lena Jarbouni, the longest-held woman Palestinian political prisoner, noted that the women are suffering from very cold temperatures inside the prison while the administration has rejected the introduction of winter blankets and warmer clothes from prisoners’ families. Windows in the prison are covered over in leaking and torn plastic into which cold wind frequently enters and most of the prisoners are suffering from back pain and other body aches due to the ongoing and persistent cold temperatures.

Shireen Issawi, Palestinian lawyer from Jerusalem imprisoned since 6 March 2014, reported that Israeli “criminal” (as opposed to Palestinian “security”) prisoners frequently heckle the Palestinian women with support or silence from prison guards.

Denial of medical treatment and medical neglect is an ongoing problem for Palestinian political prisoners. Samaher Suleiman Othman Zein el-Deen reported that she is not receiving proper medical testing or treatment despite the discovery of breast tumors, while Amal Taqatqa complained of ongoing denials of medical care. She only received a wheelchair after her fellow prisoners complained collectively multiple times after they were forced to carry Amal in order to help her move for basic needs.

9 Palestinians issued administrative detention orders; astrophysicist freed

Yassin Abu Lafah, 24, a Palestinian prisoners’ rights advocate from Askar refugee camp near Nablus arrested on 12 January, was ordered to six months in Israeli administrative detention without charge or trial on 24 January.

He joined 8 more Palestinians whose orders to imprisonment without charge or trial were confirmed as renewed by the Ofer military court: Noor Dudeen, who was ordered to four months administrative detention (his initial order had been for six months); Mahmoud Sweiteh, ordered to four months administrative detention; Nidal Kamal Mar’i, ordered to two months administrative detention (his initial order had been for three months; it was noted that this would be his final detention before release); Nader Jaffal, ordered renewed for four months; Marwan Shawamreh, ordered to six months further imprisonment; Murad Shqeiqat, ordered to four months administrative detention; Abdul Rahman Hindiyeh, ordered to 2 months administrative detention (down from an original order of four); and Abdullah Musa El-Omleh, ordered to six more months imprisonment.

imadbDr. Imad Barghouthi, a Palestinian astrophysicist and professor at Al-Quds University who formerly worked at NASA in the United States, was released from administrative detention on 22 January. He had been arrested while travelling to an academic conference in the United Arab Emirates and ordered to three months administrative detention. Following the filing of an appeal and a campaign by scientists and physicists around the world, the order against him was lifted.

For Abu Lafah, this was his first administrative detention order after arrest; the other 8 were renewed orders. 98 administrative detention orders against Palestinians have now been issued by Israeli military courts in January. Administrative detention orders, which frequently target community leaders, are issued without charge or trial and on the basis of secret evidence – if any. They can range from one to six month periods and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians can spend years in administrative detention, never charged or tried. 17 of these orders renewed existing administrative detention orders, while 5 were newly issued.

The systematic use of arbitrary imprisonment by Israeli forces to punish Palestinians violates international humanitarian law under the Fourth Geneva Convention. There are approximately 500 Palestinians held in administrative detention, imprisoned without charge or trial

29 January, Paris: Free Georges Abdallah! Rally of Solidarity

Thursday, 29 January
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Esplanade of Saint-Michel Fountain (Metro: L4 Saint-Michel)
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/650598181716949/

Last November 5, the tribunal reviewing Georges Ibrahim Abdallah’s parole application in Paris rejected his application for release, made in March 2014. His application was deemed inadmissible because Abdallah is not subject to an existing order of deportation which would allow him to be paroled to Lebanon, his home country of citizenship.

This travesty of justice indicates once more that Georges Ibrahim Abdallah is imprisoned under an exceptional regime, now in its 31st year, as a political decision of the French state.

In 2012, Manuel Valls, then interior minister, refused to sign the deportation order referred to by the tribunal after a previous positive parole decision that would have allowed Abdallah to return immediately to Lebanon.

Abdallah immediately appealed the November decision, which was scheduled bo be considered December 18 but was then postponed. The new date of the non-public appeal hearing is Thursay, 29 January 2015. There will be a public solidarity rally outside the hearing.

Jaafar Awad released, moved to Al-Ahli hospital after severe illness, large fine

The Israeli occupation military court in Ofer prison ordered the release of Palestinian political prisoner Jaafar Awad, 23, who is suffering a severe health crisis. Awad is now receiving treatment at Al-Ahli hospital in Hebron, reported Ma’an.

He has diabetes and hyperthyroidism and severe muscle fatigue. Initially, his appeals for early release were denied; he was released on 21 January with an 18-month suspended sentence and on the condition of payment of a fine of 40,000 NIS (approximately $10,173 USD).

Awad is from Beit Ummar village near Hebron and had been held by Israeli prison authorities since November 2013, the last two months in Assaf Harofe hospital. He was released after an appeal submitted by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society’s legal director Jawad Boulos.

22 more Palestinians imprisoned without charge or trial under Israeli administrative detention

22 additional military orders for the imprisonment of Palestinians without charge or trial were confirmed on 20 January, with a total of 89 administrative detention orders so far in January 2015.

Administrative detention orders, which frequently target community leaders, are issued without charge or trial and on the basis of secret evidence – if any. They can range from one to six month periods and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians can spend years in administrative detention, never charged or tried. 17 of these orders renewed existing administrative detention orders, while 5 were newly issued.

The systematic use of arbitrary imprisonment by Israeli forces to punish Palestinians violates international humanitarian law under the Fourth Geneva Convention. There are approximately 500 Palestinians held in administrative detention, imprisoned without charge or trial.

The list of administrative detention orders is below:

1. Mahmoud Badr Al-Khalil of Hebron, 6 months
2. Omar Ahmed Awad of Hebron, 4 months
3. Saddam Mousa Dar Mousa of Ramallah, 3 months
4. Munir Mustafa Abu Sharar of Hebron, 6 months
5. Abdullah Mohammed Badwan of Ramallah, 3 months
6. Sharhabeel Salman Hassouna from Ramallah, 4 months
7. Suhaib Issa Mar’i from Tulkarem, 4 months
8. Mansour Mustafa Bani Odeh from Tubas, 6 months
9. Diaa Ali Hroub of Hebron, 6 months
10. Raafat Jamil Nassif of Tulkarem, 6 months
11. Ibrahim Noureddine Sanif of Ramallah, 4 months
12. Abdel Khalek Hassan Natshe of Hebron, 4 months
13. Arqam Khalid Ahmed from Hebron, 6 months
14. Yusuf Hassan Masalma of Hebron, 4 months
15. Shadi Ibrahim Baher of Hebron, 4 months
16. Firas Zuhair Misk from Hebron, 6 months
17. Youssef Mahmoud Abu Maria of Hebron, 4 months
18. Itiraf Bajis Hajjaj from Ramallah, 4 months
19. Mohammed Hreibat of Hebron, 6 months
20. Mahmoud Ahmed Shalatwa of Ramallah, 4 months,
21. Muhammad Noman Natsheh of Hebron 4 months
22. Hani Ghazi Shalash of Hebron 6 months

14-year-old Palestinian girl Malaak al-Khatib sentenced to 2 months in Israeli prison

malaakOn 21 January, 14-year-old Palestinian girl Malaak al-Khatib was sentenced to 2 months in Israeli prison. Malaak has been imprisoned since 31 December 2014, and her detention repeatedly extended during that time, on accusations of “throwing stones” at Israeli occupation soldiers at the settler bypass road closed to Palestinians near her school. Her detention has been extended 3 times since her original arrest. She is one of around 500-700 Palestinian children are detained and arrested by the Israeli occupation forces each year. If children are charged at all, it is usually with “throwing stones.”

9-15 February: National Week of Action to defend Rasmea

Please share your actions plans by emailing info@stopfbi.net.

The campaign to defend long-time Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh has reached a critical stage. We urge everyone to join us in organizing an event or protest on your campus or in the community during the week of February 9 – 15.

All of us need to shine a light on the real injustice that is taking place in Detroit. Rasmea, a Palestinian American woman who has done so much for so many, is facing deportation and up to ten years in jail on a trumped-up immigration charge.

We need to go all out in focusing attention on her case before her March 12 sentencing. After the sentencing, it is anticipated that the appeals process will start. This fight will not be over until we have justice.

Rasmea has made great contributions to the community and the cause of Palestinian freedom. We need to stand with her.