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ckaihatsu
24th April 2016, 14:50
All Out for Detroit: Rasmea's supporters to mobilize for status hearing June 13



June 13: Get ready to be in Detroit!



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Committee to Stop FBI Repression (stopfbi.net)



All Out for Detroit:



Rasmea's supporters to mobilize for

status hearing June 13



For Immediate Release: Rasmea Defense Committee



On Monday, June 13, 2016, Rasmea Odeh will appear with her attorneys before Judge Gershwin Drain for a status conference at the federal courthouse in Detroit, Michigan. Supporters will travel to Detroit as well, as they have done for all the previous court dates, to urge for a new trial for this Palestinian American icon who was convicted of a politically-motivated immigration charge in 2014, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation last year.



In a February 2016 decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to Judge Drain, saying he had wrongfully barred the testimony of a torture expert that was critical to Rasmea’s defense. At the trial, Rasmea was not allowed to tell the entire story of Israel forcing her to falsely confess to bombings in 1969, when she endured over three weeks of vicious sexual, physical, and psychological torture at the hands of the Israeli military.



Rasmea suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of this torture, which, according to world renowned psychologist, Dr. Mary Fabri, caused her to suppress the horrible recollection of the arrest when she answered questions on her immigration application. Judge Drain excluded Dr. Fabri’s testimony from the trial, and disallowed any evidence about the rape and torture. Appeals court judges sided with Rasmea’s defense team, and sent the case back to district court. If Judge Drain cannot determine new legal avenues to exclude the expert testimony, Rasmea will be granted a new trial.



“The conviction of Rasmea Odeh was a travesty of justice. Rasmea is a hero, who has dedicated her life to organizing for Palestinian liberation, and to building a society with dignity and justice for all. We will stand with Rasmea in Detroit on June 13, as we have been many times before, and call for a new trial, where she can finally tell her story,” said Jess Sundin of the national Rasmea Defense Committee.



Members of the committee were in DC just this week pressing Rasmea's case to legislators, including Congressmen Danny Davis and Luis Gutierrez, respectively.



The committee is asking supporters to make plans to be in Detroit on the morning of June 13, and to donate to support the legal and community-based organizing work ahead. For more information, visit justice4rasmea.org and follow #Justice4Rasmea.



Media links:



A New Day for Rasmea Odeh: Throwing the Spotlight on Israeli Torture, Reader Support News, Dennis J. Bernstein, Apr. 3, 2016 (http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=b2a9d453b7&e=b3b6009f90)



Demands Grow for US to Drop Case Against Palestinian Activist, teleSUR tv, Jan. 28, 2016 (http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=c7bdfb0912&e=b3b6009f90)



#Justice4Rasmea: Palestinian activist’s supporters light up social media, rt.com, Jan. 29, 2016 (http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=4a0189fa54&e=b3b6009f90)



### End ###

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- - - Updated - - -

All out for Detroit: Rasmea's supporters to mobilize for status hearing June 13

http://www.fightbacknews.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article-lead-photo/RasmeaFB.jpg

By staff

Chicago, IL - On Monday, June 13, Rasmea Odeh will appear with her attorneys before Judge Gershwin Drain for a status conference at the federal courthouse in Detroit, Michigan. Supporters will travel to Detroit as well, as they have done for all the previous court dates, to urge for a new trial for this Palestinian American icon who was convicted of a politically-motivated immigration charge in 2014, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation last year.

In a February 2016 decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to Judge Drain, saying he had wrongfully barred the testimony of a torture expert that was critical to Odeh’s defense. At the trial, Odeh was not allowed to tell the entire story of Israel forcing her to falsely confess to bombings in 1969, when she endured over three weeks of vicious sexual, physical and psychological torture at the hands of the Israeli military.

Odeh suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of this torture, which, according to world renowned psychologist, Dr. Mary Fabri, caused her to suppress the horrible recollection of the arrest when she answered questions on her immigration application. Judge Drain excluded Dr. Fabri’s testimony from the trial and disallowed any evidence about the rape and torture. Appeals court judges sided with Odeh‘s defense team, and sent the case back to district court. If Judge Drain cannot determine new legal avenues to exclude the expert testimony, Odeh will be granted a new trial.

“The conviction of Rasmea Odeh was a travesty of justice. Rasmea is a hero, who has dedicated her life to organizing for Palestinian liberation and to building a society with dignity and justice for all. We will stand with Rasmea in Detroit on June 13, as we have been many times before, and call for a new trial, where she can finally tell her story,” said Jess Sundin of the national Rasmea Defense Committee.

Members of the committee were in Washington DC just this week pressing Odeh’s case to legislators, including Congressmen Danny Davis and Luis Gutierrez, respectively.

The committee is asking supporters to make plans to be in Detroit on the morning of June 13, and to donate to support the legal and community-based organizing work ahead. For more information, visit justice4rasmea.org and follow #Justice4Rasmea.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

ckaihatsu
15th May 2016, 15:52
Rasmea Defense Committee: All Out for Detroit June 13th!

Support #Justice4Rasmea in Detroit

Rasmea Defense Committee: All out for Detroit June 13th! (http://us8.campaign-archive1.com/?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=f7707e901b&e=266d74dd41]View this email in your browser[/url]

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb/images/533758f9-4726-4f51-95eb-824fb2e2f8bb.jpg
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/50f24014e5eab7c0b4aef517d/images/6ace5955-b37d-4137-94fe-f33bf501bf27.jpg[/img]

Rasmea suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of this torture, which, according to world renowned psychologist, Dr. Mary Fabri, caused her to suppress the horrible recollection of the arrest when she answered questions on her immigration application in the U.S. These allegedly false answers led to her unjust conviction in the politically-motivated trial in 2014, which in turn led to her being sentenced last year to 18 months in prison and deportation. She is currently living and working in Chicago, free while fighting the conviction.

Judge Drain excluded Dr. Fabri’s testimony from the trial, and disallowed any evidence about the rape and torture. Now, after the appeals court decision, the judge must determine new legal avenues to exclude the expert testimony. If he cannot, Rasmea may be granted a new trial!

Make your travel plans now to be with the Rasmea Defense Committee, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), Committee to Stop FBI Repression, and the Coalition to Protect People’s Rights—in support of our hero (http://uspcn.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=d6dd6cbf35&e=266d74dd41)!

WHEN: Monday, June 13th, 2016
Rally outside the courthouse at 10 AM Eastern Time
Hearing begins at 11 AM Eastern Time

WHERE: U.S. Courthouse for the Eastern District of Michigan
231 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit, Michigan 48226

More information for those attending the hearing:

Confirm with us that you are attending, and provide us with transportation information, by filling out this form (http://uspcn.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=840f01c673&e=266d74dd41).

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/50f24014e5eab7c0b4aef517d/images/daaf91cd-ce9f-450b-b845-7c768216a891.jpg

Please be at the courthouse at 10 AM Eastern for a rally and picket. We will then start lining up between 10:20 and 10:30 AM, to ensure that we are in the courtroom well before 11 AM. Late comers will not be allowed in the courtroom.

Please do not volunteer to speak to any media or press in attendance. The defense committee has a media team made up of the only people authorized to speak to the press.

There will also be a rally / press conference outside the courthouse after the hearing. Lead defense attorney Michael Deutsch will address the media and Rasmea’s supporters, and then we will hear from a number of solidarity speakers, including Frank Chapman, Field Organizer for the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Jess Sundin of CSFR, representatives of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, members of the Detroit / Dearborn community, and others.

This is basic information for our presence INSIDE the courtroom:

What do you need to bring to get into the courtroom? Must bring ID: it can be a driver’s license, state ID, or passport.

What to wear to court? No “I Support Rasmea” clothes, buttons, or signs.

How to act in court?

No talking in the courtroom
No coming and going; if you leave the courtroom for anything other than an emergency, you will not be let back in.

What not to bring to court?

No cell phones.
No cameras or recording devices.
No food or drink.

For everyone:

Visit justice4rasmea.org, follow @Justice4Rasmea and #Justice4Rasmea on twitter, and like our Facebook page; or email [email protected] for more information!

Donate online! (http://uspcn.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=559a17058e&e=266d74dd41)

Also follow [url]www.uspcn.org & www.stopfbi.net!

See these recent media hits:

A New Day for Rasmea Odeh: Throwing the Spotlight on Israeli Torture, Reader Supported News, Dennis J. Bernstein

Demands Grow for US to Drop Case Against Palestinian Activist, teleSUR

#Justice4Rasmea: Palestinian activist’s supporters light up social media, RT

Rasmea Odeh Heads Back to Court in Ongoing Campaign Against Palestine Activism, Bill Chambers, Chicago Monitor

Chicago Teachers Union honors Rev. Sekou of Ferguson, Sekou honors Rasmea Odeh, Fight Back! News

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/50f24014e5eab7c0b4aef517d/images/a4fe74a3-2cd6-4e07-a2b1-4076b9a40529.png

Help Rasmea Win! All Out for Detroit!

Sincerely,

Rasmea Defense Committee

******************

Support our work by making a tax-deductible donation to USPCN (c/o the WESPAC Foundation)!fundraising button





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ckaihatsu
3rd June 2016, 20:35
Rasmea's June 13 status hearing in chambers, but we're still going All Out for Detroit!

New info on #Justice4Rasmea in Detroit June 13th!

View this email in your browser (http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=c45ff7e87e&e=266d74dd41)

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Rasmea Defense Committee update to the mobilization for Detroit June 13th!

Just last week, Judge Gershwin Drain informed Rasmea's attorneys that the June 13th status hearing will take place in chambers, which means it will not be in open court, and which also means that it may be a very short (between an hour and two, possibly less) proceeding.

Nevertheless, the defense committee will still be organizing a rally in front of the courthouse while the closed meeting between the judge, attorneys, and Rasmea is in session.

Supporters from Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor, at least, have committed to continue to mobilize, so sign up RIGHT NOW (http://uspcn.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0ce8bf015c0d49d11d99fdefb&id=5631274401&e=266d74dd41) to help us win #Justice4Rasmea!

WHEN: Monday, June 13th, 2016
Rally outside the courthouse at 10 AM Eastern Time

Closed hearing in judge's chambers begins at 11 AM Eastern Time

WHERE: U.S. Courthouse for the Eastern District of Michigan
231 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit, Michigan 48226

ckaihatsu
12th June 2016, 15:11
New York rally and march demands ‘Justice for Rasmea’

By staff

New York, NY - 45 activists and community organizers gathered at 19 W 44 th Street, the office of G4S Security Solutions, June 10, to stand in support for Rasmea Odeh, a Palestinian American leader who is facing jail and deportation on a trumped-up immigration charge. G4S provides security services to Israeli prisons, where countless Palestinians prisoners have been held without due process, persecuted and tortured.

Michela Martinazzi, an organizer with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the New York for Palestine Coalition, started off with a series of chants like “Appeal, rehear, keep Rasmea out of Jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!” and “From New York to Palestine, being Palestinian is not a crime!”

Suzanne Adely, from the New York for Palestine Coalition, spoke about how Rasmea Odeh was instrumental to the Arab and Muslim community in Chicago. “Rasmea wasn’t targeted for simply working in the community. She was targeted because she effectively organized her community.”

Jill Dowling, a local activist, spoke about the connection between Odeh and the general political repression of other organizers, “I have family and friends in the Midwest who woke up one morning with the FBI knocking on their door. They were targeted for being anti-war activists and nothing else. The same repression they faced, Rasmea is facing right now. We need to keep organizing and standing in solidarity with all activists and organizers.”

Before starting the march, Martinazzi read a statement from Odeh herself, “To my wonderful friends and colleagues in New York: I thank you all for coming out in support of my freedom, in support of justice, in support of Palestinian rights. Because make no mistake - this is not an immigration case or a case of lying on an application. It's a case, like so many others, of Palestinians coming under political and legal attack for who we are, because of our nationality, because we have struggled so long and hard for our national and human rights.”

The march went to the Army Recruiting Station in Times Square which was emblazoned with a large and bright America flag. Demonstrators chanted, “When freedom fighters are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

While marching, several Times Square impersonators joined in, specifically a Spiderman who said, “We need to keep organizing. We need to have more protests like this to stop racism and terrorism in the Middle East.”

The rally ended in high spirits with several rounds of chants led by Nerdeen Kiswani of NY Students for Justice in Palestine.

The rally and march were endorsed by: Al-Awda New York: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, American Muslims for Palestine, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC, the International Action Center, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, Labor for Palestine, New York City Students for Justice in Palestine, NY4Palestine, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Palestine Solidarity Alliance of Hunter College, Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, and the US Palestinian Community Network.

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

ckaihatsu
14th June 2016, 18:04
Rasmea Odeh appeal moves towards new trial

By Tom Burke

Detroit, MI - Over 100 supporters of Rasmea Odeh chanted her name in excitement as she emerged from the Federal Court Building in downtown Detroit on June 13. The crowd could see on Odeh’s face that she had good news. Slightly embarrassed by all the attention,she eventually waved for supporters to cross the street and join her for a press conference.

Odeh then announced to the gathered reporters and Palestine solidarity activists that the discussions went well and that we were moving forward given the successful appeal. Odeh said, “We want you to continue to help build our movement across the country as we seek justice. I need you now more than ever. It is together that we can win.”

Odeh and her defense lawyers met with Judge Gershwin Drain and the U.S. prosecutors in Detroit on June 13. Outside the court, more than 100 people picketed, chanted and gave speeches for three hours.

Today’s court appearance follows Odeh’s victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6 th Circuit in Cincinnati on Oct. 14 last year. The appeal was successful, but it was not yet clear whether it would lead to a new trial.

Defense attorney Michael Deutsch announced, “There is a tentative date for a new trial on January 10 of next year.” This caused many in the crowd to smile and cheer as they realized Judge Drain was accepting the appeals court rulings.

Deutsch follow up, “The next scheduled hearing will take place on Nov. 29 and we will argue for the PTSD experts to give testimony in a new trial. The government will argue against the PTSD expert testimony being allowed.”

Rasmea Odeh is a Palestinian woman dedicated to organizing women in the Arab American and other communities in Chicago. In fact, she has won public awards for her organizing efforts. For more than two years now, she has been fighting political repression by the U.S. government. Technically she is charged with a minor immigration paper work violation, but U.S. prosecutors have blown it up into a political case.

The PTSD expert matters because Odeh was tortured, made to sign a confession, and then imprisoned by an Israeli military occupation in 1969. Judge Drain never allowed Odeh to testify, nor to even mention the Israeli military torture and its impact on her. In attempting to deny the political nature of the U.S. prosecution of Rasmea Odeh, Judge Drain left no room for a defense argument in his courtroom.

Mick Kelly of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression said, “The whole world knows about Rasmea because of our ongoing campaign. Our victories are adding up! This is a political trial carried out by an empire trying desperately to shore up an increasingly unpopular and unstable Israel. It is an injustice that charges were brought against Rasmea Odeh in the first place. So again we say, "Drop the charges now!"

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]

ckaihatsu
15th June 2016, 18:23
More victories for the defense in Rasmea’s case!

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following June 14 statement from the Rasmea Defense Committee.

http://www.fightbacknews.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article-lead-photo/RasmeaLegal.jpg

By staff

Over 100 people from all over the Midwest gathered in Detroit to support Rasmea Odeh as she, her attorneys, and the prosecution appeared before Judge Gershwin Drain for a status conference on Monday, June 13, 2016.

After the conference ended, Rasmea joined the waiting crowd chanting her name, and Michael Deutsch, her lead attorney, addressed the media, explaining that a tentative date for a new trial has been set for January 10, 2017!

This is what the Rasmea Defense Committee has been anticipating ever since the appellate court decision a few months ago. Rasmea was convicted of a politically-motivated immigration charge in 2014, and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation last year. In February 2016, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to Judge Drain, saying he had wrongfully barred the testimony of a torture expert that was critical to Rasmea’s defense. At the trial, Rasmea was not allowed to tell the entire story of Israel forcing her to falsely confess to alleged bombings in 1969, when she endured over three weeks of vicious sexual, physical, and psychological torture at the hands of the Israeli military.

Rasmea suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of this torture, which, according to world renowned psychologist, Dr. Mary Fabri, caused her to suppress the horrible recollection of the arrest when she answered questions on her immigration application. Judge Drain excluded Fabri’s testimony from the trial, and disallowed any evidence about the rape and torture. Appeals court judges sided with the defense, and wrote in their opinion that if the judge cannot determine new legal avenues to exclude the expert testimony, Rasmea must be granted a new trial, which it appears will happen.

At the status conference yesterday, the government called for a “Daubert hearing,” which is used to challenge the validity and admissibility of expert testimony (in this case, Fabri’s), and also requested to examine Rasmea with its own expert. If the hearing is granted by Judge Drain, it will happen on November 29 of this year, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Two other positive developments occurred yesterday as well. Deutsch requested to have Rasmea’s “burdensome reporting requirements” to probation authorities reduced from once a week to once a month. Judge Drain did not object, commenting that his earlier concerns about her being a flight risk “have been alleviated.” He also suggested that he would be willing to ease travel restrictions and allow Rasmea to occasionally travel within the U.S. The government wants to speak to the probationary authorities before agreeing to the end of the travel ban.

And speaking of the government, we all remember the Zionist, right wing ideologue Jonathan Tukel, the lead prosecutor on the case, who was handled deftly by Rasmea during his disrespectful cross examination of her, and who described us as “mobs and hoards [sic]” while trying to criminalize our organizing of Rasmea’s political defense. Well, he’s GONE. He is off the case, and we are happy that we do not have to deal with his racist arrogance any longer.

While waiting for Rasmea and her defense attorneys to join them, her supporters—who hailed from Chicago, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, and even as far away as Texas, and included about a dozen leaders from the Arab Women’s Committee that Rasmea leads—rallied outside of the downtown courthouse for almost three hours, chanting and picketing and listening to solidarity speeches from organizers and activists who have traveled many times to be with Rasmea at previous court appearances.

Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression opened the program with a pledge to continue to fight for #Justice4Rasmea and to “free all political prisoners in the U.S.” Linden Gawboy and Mick Kelly brought greetings from the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) in Minneapolis. Kelly called the case “a political trial carried out by an empire trying desperately to shore up an increasingly unpopular and unstable Israel,” and Gawboy’s WRC mobilized more people to pack the courtroom for Rasmea’s trial in 2014 than any other organization outside of Chicago.

Fariba Nourian, an Iranian-American with the Cincinnati Palestine Solidarity Coalition ended her statement with a quote from Assata Shakur: “It is our duty to fight. It is our duty to win!” Nadine Darwish, a leader of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Loyola University-Chicago, discussed the importance of Rasmea’s life and work to students everywhere. And Detroit poet Tawana Petty (aka Honeycomb) joined Kristian Bailey, member of both the Black Youth Project (BYP) 100 and the National SJP, to talk about Black-Palestinian solidarity and recite a poem from the powerful video, WHEN I SEE THEM I SEE US.

As Rasmea herself stated during the press conference, “We want you to continue to help build our movement across the country as we seek justice. I need you now more than ever. It is together that we can win.”

And as we continue to chalk up victories, you can continue to help by donating to the defense, organizing educational events in your communities, staying in touch through justice4rasmea.org, and shifting the demand to Drop the Charges Now!

Rasmea Defense Committee, led by U.S. Palestinian Community Network and CSFR Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]