A grave miscarriage of justice. 11-6-2006

Nov 6, 2006.                            A grave miscarriage of justice.
Sent the following to Anna Eshoo, Senators Diane Feinstein and Boxer, and Amnesty International.

I am most concerned that a grave miscarriage of justice has occurred by the incarceration and death sentence of an Iraqi American, Mohammad Munaf. It appears that Munaf, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is being punished for working as a photojournalist. Munaf was arrested by US forces along with three Romanian journalists and subsequently released. He was then abruptly re-arrested. According to Scott Horton, Chair of the International Law Committee at the New York Bar Association, the presiding judge stated he would dismiss the case in the absence of corroborating evidence.

Subsequently, Munaf was hauled into court by two American officers who claimed that they had evidence from the Romanian government proving Munaf’s guilt. The Iraqi judge capitulated under American pressure and sentenced Munaf to death. The Romanian government denied any involvement. The claim appears to be patently false because the Romanian government does not even endorse the death penalty. I ask that you demand an immediate investigation into the arrest and imprisonment of Mohammad Munaf. 

I also ask that you demand an investigation into the seven month detention of Bilal Hussein, a Pulitzer Prize winner of the Associated Press reporter. No charges have been filed against him. The U.S. claims they are under no obligation to file charges and can hold him indefinitely. The presidents of the Associated Press Managing Editors, APME, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, ASNE, the Associated Press Photo Managers, have sent a joint letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, asking for the release of Bilal Hussein, saying, “the members of our three organizations stand united in our outrage at the imprisonment of our colleague.” 

Finally, I ask that you conduct an investigation into the shooting and subsequent arrest of Abdul Ameer Younis Hussein, a CBS photojournalist. Fortunately, Hussein was acquitted after the judge declared that his arrest and incarceration were highly improper. It is extremely disturbing that our government and military is becoming increasingly tyrannical and is abusing the draconian security powers granted by Congress. These cases are a travesty of injustice. Our image, already at an all-time low as a law abiding nation, will be further tarnished if we do not challenge the blatant bullying tactics and false charges of the US military.