Date Posted: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

To learn more about the Naji Hamdan case visit http://www.masfreedom.org/cases/naji_hamdan.html.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: MAS Freedom National

Mahdi Bray, Executive Director

Email: mahdi.bray AT masfreedom.org

Office: (202) 552-7414

Cell: (202) 421-3623

Friday, May 1, 2009 at 9:30 AM in the National Press Club's Murrow Room

Groups Seek Redress for American Citizen Tortured in U.A.E.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) April 29, 2009 – MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), together with a coalition of human and civil rights organizations, will hold a press conference at the National Press Club's Murrow Room, 529 14th St., NW Washington, DC, at 9:30 AM on Friday, May 1, 2009 as part of a campaign calling for the release and return of Naji Hamdan, 43, a U.S. citizen of Lebanese decent detained and tortured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the past 8 months. Please note the change of venue from the previously scheduled press conference announced for April 29, 2009.

MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Ramey will serve as moderator at the press conference, which will also include speakers Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, MAS Freedom; Atty. Reem Salahi, ACLU-Southern California; Frida Berrigan (or her representative), Witness Against Torture, and others.

As part of the original April 29 Day of Action, MAS Freedom's Executive Director, Mahdi Bray and Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Ramey; Atty. Jenny Pasquarella, ACLU-Southern California and Atty. Reem Salahi, ACLU-Southern California, organized awareness visits and delivered Naji Hamdan case information packets to the offices of Rep. James McGovern (MA), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN), Rep. Mel Watts (NC), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. John Conyers (MI), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Senator John McCain (AZ), Senator Barbara Boxor, (CA), and Senator Diane Feinstein (CA).

Naji Jawdat Hamdan was arrested at his home in the Emirate of ‘Ajman on August 29, 29, 2008 by members of Amn al-Dawla (State Security). He was taken to Abu Dhabi where he was held incommunicado in solitary confinement until November 26, 2008, when he was transferred to al-Wathba prison in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He is said to have been charged with "promoting terrorism, participating in the work of a terrorist organization and cooperating with a terrorist organization".

This is a matter of extreme urgency in that, if Hamdan is tried and convicted in UAE's Federal Supreme Court, the decision is irreversible.

"The use of torture to obtain a confession is reprehensible and violates international and US law. Mr. Hamdan's guilt or innocence should not be determined by information obtained through torture nor should our government be complicit in any acts of torture by a foreign nation," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.

Additionally, Bray continued, "We are asking for members of Congress to use oversight and for the Justice and State Departments to investigate the circumstances of Mr. Hamdan's detainment and torture while in the custody of U.A.E. officials. There also needs to be oversight and investigation as to any prior knowledge or cooperation between the U.A.E. and U.S. officials regarding Mr. Hamdan’s circumstances."

The Hamdan case is gaining momentum both within the U.S. and abroad among human rights organizations and activists. There is also a growing inquiry among human rights activists as to U.A.E. human rights violations and willingness to serve as a nation state for torture outsourcing.

For additional information click here or contact MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Ramey at (202) 552-7414, (703) 642-6265 or 1-888-627-8471 for additional information. Email inquiries can be sent to info AT masfreedom DOT org.

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MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational

organization in America with 55 chapters in 35 states.

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