PRESS RELEASE: Mr. Raed Salah's Appeal Lodged
Introduction by Gilad Atzmon:
It seems as if Islamophobia has become an official government policy in the UK. Sheikh Raed Salah, the admired Palestinian leader of the largest civil society body in Israel has been arrested in the UK two days ago. This shouldn’t take us by a big surprise considering the relentless activity of Jewish lobbies in the UK. At the end of the day, the Israelis and their supporters realised long time ago that it is much cheaper to by a Western politician than buying a tank.
“The double standards operating here are chilling,” wrote Dr Hanan Chehata in the New Statesman today. “While the government is doing its utmost to change the British laws on Universal Jurisdiction to make it easier for suspected Israeli war criminals to visit the UK without the fear of arrest warrants being issued against them, at the same time they are happy to arrest Palestinian leaders who have committed no crime but are here to expose Israeli war crimes and discuss peaceful methods of resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
The British Government better wake up immediately. It must release Sheikh Raed Salah and apologize to him and the Muslim world.
PRESS RELEASE
Mr. Raed Salah's Appeal Lodged
On Friday 1st July Mr. Raed Salah was transferred from an Immigration Detention Centre to a formal prison. No good reason for this transfer has been given.
The transfer to prison will significantly interfere with the preparation of Mr Salah's appeal against the Deportation Order. The deadline for Mr Salah to Appeal is the 6th July 2011 . The prison have informed Mr. Salah's lawyer that his legal team will not be able to visit him until the 11th July, 5 days after the deadline is due to pass.
Mr Salah's solicitor, Tayab Ali of ITN Solicitors, said 'Mr Salah remains resolute and determined to challenge the Deportation Order. Despite the difficulties his transfer to prison poses for us, a formal Notice of Appeal against the Deportation Order was lodged on Friday. We are confident that the Order will be overturned.
'The Home Secretary has grossly misjudged my client. In stark contrast to the false picture that has been painted, he is a man of peace, a widely respected leader who campaigns tirelessly for his people. By attempting to silence him in the United Kingdom, the Government is turning its back on the Palestinian people'.
'The merits of the Home Secretary's Order are now a matter for the Courts'.