[Ppnews] Boston - Thursday 4/12 - Pack the court for Tarek Mehanna's Sentencing

[Political Prisoner News]

Pack the Court: Tarek Mehanna's Sentencing this Thursday, April 12th!

**Time change alert: Sentencing has been pushed up to 10am**

WHEN: This Thursday, April 12th, 2012 at 10am
WHERE: Moakley Federal Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way, Boston, MA

On Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 10am, Tarek 
Mehanna will be sentenced at the Moakley 
Courthouse in Boston. His supporters have 
repeatedly packed the courthouse to show that we 
stand with him, and he has requested that we do 
it again! Tarek, convicted on terrorism-related 
charges on December 20th, 2011, is facing a life 
sentence. This hearing will be our final chance 
to show the judge how much support Tarek has from 
the broader community and demand a lenient sentence.

This day is especially important because Tarek 
will speak at the hearing! This will be the only 
time Tarek has given a public statement in the 
courtroom. We hope that you will be able to be 
present for this undoubtedly powerful testimony! 
Following this hearing, Tarek will be moved to a 
federal prison outside of Massachussetts. It will 
be the last time for a long while that Tarek will 
get a chance to see all of us, and for us to see 
him. We ask that you join us in our strongest display of support yet!

**Important court reminders**
-A photo ID will be required to get into the 
courthouse. Please bring a second form of ID, 
such as a bank card or something with your name on it, if possible.
-All electronics including cell phones and 
cameras will be held at the front desk by 
courthouse officials or should be kept in your car.
-BE THERE EARLY, by 9:00am—seats will fill up fast! .

Thank you for your continued support,
The Tarek Mehanna Support Committee
<http://www.freetarek.com/>www.FreeTarek.com

____________________________
Boston, MA.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Contact: Rev. Jason Lydon
617-519-4387 |ccbminister at gmail.com

----------
Hundreds Expected at Sentencing of Dr. Tarek Mehanna

Landmark case mobilizes civil liberties and Muslim groups nationwide

ON THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 29 YEAR OLD SUDBURY 
RESIDENT TAREK MEHANNA will be sentenced for 
providing ‘material support’ to a terrorist 
organization, ending the first chapter of the 
most high-profile and contentious 
terrorism-related cases in recent memory. The 
hearing will begin at 10am at the Moakley Federal 
Courthouse in Boston. Dr. Mehanna, himself, will 
be giving a testimony in court. After the 
sentencing, the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee 
will give a statement to the media. Dr. Mehanna’s 
lawyers are expected to appeal the conviction. 
The hearing will begin at 10am at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston.


The conduct of Mehanna’s trial last year drew 
wide spread criticism, including from Amnesty 
International and the American Civil Liberties 
Union,  for heavily relying on factually and 
legally questionable evidence. This evidence 
included material acquired during a secret “sneak 
and peak” entrance into the Mehanna home while 
they were on vacation, thumbnail images taken 
from the cache of a shared computer, and 
testimony from informants who received 
undisclosed clemency deals, admitted to being 
liars, and whose testimony in trial directly 
contradicted their testimony in the Grand Jury.


Tamer Mehanna, Dr. Mehanna’s brother and a key 
member of his support committee, drew attention 
to the continuing solitary confinement of Dr. 
Mehanna. “How can the Muslim community trust a 
government which places people for years in 
solitary confinement even before they get to 
trial?” he asked. “Such measures are used to 
break people and make them take any deal the 
government offers. But my brother was not 
broken.” Dr. Mehanna, who has already served 2.5 
years in pre-trial solitary confinement, faces possible life in prison.


His conviction in December of last year was a 
shock for many communities, especially civil 
liberties organizations and Muslim groups in the 
United States. The outrage that the trial 
generated in these communities has united into a 
broad coalition of activists intent on bringing 
to light the prejudicial and unfair nature of 
domestic terror trials and the role the FBI plays 
as instigators. In February, the coalition 
organized a large rally attended by anti-war 
groups, Muslim and South Asian communities, and 
civil liberties organizations, where they read 
out a letter from Dr. Mehanna and vowed to expand 
and continue the campaign. Supporters have 
continued to be active in recent months, 
collecting petition signatures, writing character 
letters to the judge and the US Attorney in an 
attempt to generate community pressure for a fair 
sentence. On Thursday, several hundred supporters 
are expected to pack the courtroom for Dr. Mehanna’s sentencing.


For Laila Murad, a coordinator of the coalition, 
the sentencing is just the beginning of what she 
sees as a long-term campaign. “We are not done 
here. This case is important not just for Dr. 
Mehanna and his family, but for the protection of 
the rights of all of us. It would be 
irresponsible of us to stop now. Motions to 
appeal are in the works, but we will keep 
fighting on the ground for as long as it takes.”


Murad also believes this case has damaged the 
already tenuous relationship with law 
enforcement: “The key message that comes out of 
Tarek Mehanna’s case is that the US Muslim 
community cannot trust the FBI. His conviction 
has been a huge wake-up call to those in the 
Muslim community who still believe in the 
benevolence of the FBI. We can see that, far from 
building ‘community relations,’ the FBI and the 
US Attorney’s office is actively conspiring to 
silence and brutalize prominent Muslim leaders, 
making examples out of them.” The coalition also 
plans to create links between support groups of 
various other FBI entrapment victims to develop a 
broader agenda to protect civil liberties and 
denounce the targeting of Muslims.



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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