[LAF] FW: ICAHK Action Alert: SYRIA: Young woman to be sent to certain death by Juidiciary

[Joy Wood]

> Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:28:27 +0000> From: joy_helbin at hotmail.com> To: joy_helbin at hotmail.com> Subject: Fwd: ICAHK Action Alert: SYRIA: Young woman to be sent to certain death by Juidiciary> > --- In londonfeministnetwork at yahoogroups.co.uk, "joanne payton" > <joanne.payton at ...> wrote:> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------> From: International Campaign Against Honour Killings <> webmaster at ...>> Date: 13 Nov 2007 16:38> Subject: ICAHK Action Alert: SYRIA: Young woman to be sent to certain > death> by Juidiciary> To:> > Hello, Young woman to be released to certain death by the judiciaryAn > appeal> from Syrian Women's Rights Organisation NESASY> > (R. M) Qab, 19, is too close to being killed by her brother, as he has> publicly pledged to do in the name of "honor." (R. M) is one of the > two> women whose stories Nesasy ran previously.> > Since then, NESASY been doing our best to save the lives of these two > women,> even though the government has ignored their cases to the extent of > almost> condoning "honor killings" all together. There's been some > developments in> these cases over the past week. One of the young women finally > married the> man she loved and wanted to be with, and she was released from > custody to go> with him to an undisclosed location.> > But the second woman is still detained, and now that her family has > dropped> the (fraudulent) theft charges they had brought against her, she is > due to> be released by law.> > The problem is that even though her brother has publicly an-nounced > he will> kill her to "reclaim the family's honor," the court plans to release > her> directly to her family. In other words, release her directly to the> slaughter!> The acting judge, (S.S), is in a difficult dilemma. On the one hand > there's> the family with all its laden traditions alongside people in the local> community pressuring him to release (R. M) to the family for them to > carry> out the slaughter that the brother is promising (the father does not > condone> it.) And on the other hand his own morality and sense of ethics as a > judge> disallow him to put in danger the life of a citizen. He knows very > well that> any guaran-tees her family give for her safety will be nothing beyond > ink on> paper. He knows well that she will be slaughtered. He has been > indecisive on> the matter.> > The judge considered releasing (R. M) to one of the province's > respectable> elders, but the elder has made it clear that he, in turn, would > deliver her> to her family because they have promised not to hurt her.> This would be a very dangerous thing to do. In past crimes com-mitted > in the> name of "honor," families have provided the same (false) guarantees of> safety for their daughter. But that has not prevented them from > slaughtering> her upon her release, as in the highly publicized case of 15-year-old > Zahra> Ezzo.> > The life of (R. M) is hours from being snuffed. We cannot remain > silent. We> ask the judge to act morally and ethically, and to pro-tect the life > of a> young woman, to release her to one of the or-ganizations or parties > who can> protect her and transport her with a police escort to a safe haven. > This is> also what (R.M) has re-quested of the judge. She is an adult and by > law he> must acqui-esce to her request.> > We have no choice but to hold the judge fully responsible for (R. M)'s> well-being if he releases her to her family. He cannot deny his > knowledge of> the threats to her life, nor that such a step means an imminent death.> We must also point to the respectable clergy in Sweida who have > already said> religion would not condone this murder. We now hold you to your word. > This> woman's life is in danger in the name of "honor." This is the time > for you> to make a swift and clear decision. This is the time for you to > protect this> woman and declare publicly and without ambiguity that hurting her is > a crime> against religion.> > We also call upon all individuals and organizations who work with > human> rights and the rights of women and a better future for humanity to get> involved to protect (R. M). Silence in this case is nothing less than> condoning the slaughter of (R. M).> > We also hold the entire Syrian government responsible for (R.M)'s> well-being, especially the President of Parliament and the Minister of> Justice and the Minister of Interior, who is in charge of protect-ing > the> lives of citizens. They are now fully aware of the danger (R.M) > faces. The> Syrian government is fully capable of protecting (R.M) if it wishes > to do> so, as it is capable of stopping the blood bath that is called "honor> killing."> > Many people in (R.M)'s province have gone to the streets to pledge> protection for her. One of these people is attorney Ghada al-> Abdullah, who> points out that sending a young woman to the slaughter in a country > that> claims to revere citizenship - not merely the citizenship of male > killers -> is against the law. It is also against human rights and against > Islamic law.> > This wonderful lawyer is using all her meager resources and putting > herself> in danger to protect (R.M).> > (R.M) is legally an adult, and it is her right to be released from > custody> without involving her family.> Please support NESASY's petition for R.M.> here< http://www.gopetition.com/online/15237.html >Best Regards,> International Campaign Against Honour Killings Staff We sent> you this message because you have selected to receive newsletters > from our> site You can choose to unsubscribe from our mailings at any time by> following this<http://www.stophonourkillings.com/index.php?> name=Your_Account&edit=prefs>link> If you would like further assistance, please send an email to our> administrator <webmaster at ...>> > -- http://www.stophonourkillings.com/> Stop honour killings. Save lives!> > --- End forwarded message ---> > 
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