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Petition Tag - iraq
1. Stop attacks at HOLY SHRINES in SYRIA, IRAN, IRAQ 
Syria's sectarian civil war is endangering Shi'ite shrines.
Detailed information about the problem can be found at http://goo.gl/bfwD1 and here, http://goo.gl/bhyhl
تؤثر الألعاب التي تشبه الأسلحة في زيادة العنف في المجتمع وتساهم في إنحراف الأطفال والصبيان بإتجاه الفظاظة والشدة وتشجع على إختيار السلاح كحل أساسي لمشاكلهم في حياتهم. ومن المهم التوقف عن تشجبع إستخدام هذه الألعاب ومنع إستيرادها و تداولها بشكل قاطع من المجتمع والحكومة
3. Recognition of Genocide against the Kurds in Iraq
Canadian Parliament passed a motion on 16 March 2010 recognizing atrocities took place in the Kurdish city of Halabja on 16 March 1988 with Iraqi planes used poison gas to kill thousands of Iraqi Kurds; as crimes against humanity as the first nation in the World recognizing the suffering of Kurds in Iraq.
"On 16 March 2013 when we will remember these atrocities on the 25th anniversary; a new motion will be submitted to the Canadian Parliament asking for the recognition of this event and the Anfal campaign as genocide against Kurds of Iraq. Canadian Parliament's approval of a motion which recognize these atrocities as genocide will give hope to humanity that the justice will prevail."
4. Save Iraq from being a dumping ground for European Nuclear Waste
الحكومة العراقية توافق على أن يكون العراق مكبا للنفايات النووية الأوروبية
بتاريخ 9/1/2013 تم خطف الطفلة (سيمون داود إسماعيل) والتي تدين بالديانة الأيزيدية و تبلغ من العمر أقل من إثني عشر عاما كونها من مواليد 18/7/2001من قرب دار أهلها في مجمع شيخكا في ناحية ألقوش في قضاء تلكيف في محافظة نينوى . وقد قام والدها بتبليغ الشرطة وتسجيل الشكوى بشأن خطفها لغرض إيجادها وإنقاذها من المجرمين الخاطفين وإعادتها إلى أهلها. و بعد وقوع جريمة خطفها بأيام قام الخاطفون بإبلاغ أهلها بأنها قد أسلمت وتم زواجها من أحد الأشخاص وفق الشريعة الإسلامية .
6. Stop the killing & execution of innocent Syrians in Syria!
Over 60,000 deaths have occurred in Syria since the first and peaceful protests against President Assad began. In addition, Turkey and other neighboring countries, are overfilling with fleeing refugee's who do not want to die in Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrian's have fled the bloodbath in Syria. Children lay dead on the Syrian's streets, women are being raped, and men are being tortured by the Assad regime.
تم إعتقال المفكر الاقتصادي ونائب محافظ البنك المركزي مظهر محمد صالح بتهمة فضفاضة غير معلنة سوى إتهامه بالفساد . إن مظهر محمد صالح صاحب الفكر الأقتصادي والكاتب المعروف في مجال الإقتصاد والمال والأعمال يقبع الآن معتقلا من قبل السلطة في العراق لعدة أشهر بدون إتهم أو محاكمة علنية أو تحقيق خلافا للدستور العراقي الذي يمنع الإعتقال والتوقيف لأكثر من يوم واحد دون إعلام الموقوف بتهمته وبدون أمر قضائي صريح. . إن الأعتقال العشوائي لا يفسر إلا بكونه إعتقالا سياسيا مخالفا للائحة حقوق الأنسان وللدستور والقوانين السارية.
إننا نطالب بإطلاق سراح هذه الشخصية الذي يعاني من مرض السكر وتجاوز عمره الخامسة والستين والذي لم توجه له أي تهمة لحد الآن
Iraqi women's basic rights are being violated and current legislation, customs and rigid social attitudes are preventing women from achieving the equality they deserve.
In matters of custody, divorce and punishment, the Iraqi Penal Code and laws clearly discriminate. The gender inequality extends further than a loss of political rights however, the deeply ingrained social mindsets of those living in Iraq make gender equality a challenge to overcome. Iraq have signed the treaties stating that they will take immediate steps to ensure that women are treated justly.
The treaties state that they are obliged to actively prevent attempts or acts of violence against women. There has been no significant change in women's rights and Iraqi women continue to be mistreated despite these efforts for equality. Not enough has been done and Iraqi authorities are now breaching both the treaties and the basic, universal human rights.
By raising awareness of the issue, hopefully global recognition can be made regarding the true social justice issue at hand. Please sign if you support gender equality and would like more to be done to address the issue.
9. End 200 years of war in America
The United States has been a country for 235 years and 209 of these years the country has spent at war. Sign this petition to call for an end to war.
War helps the US procure resources and create jobs but can destroy local economies and force other countries to adopt an American lifestyle which requires countries to support large scale industrial farming and production for export at the expense of small land owners and producers and social services. This leads to famine and debt enslavement.
10. Stop Inhumane Siege of Camp Liberty Residents
In recent reports, we are seeing the Iraqi forces are increasing pressure the residents and treating them very inhumanely.
The Iraqi forces prevented the injured and disabled from taking their daily necessities to Camp Liberty. They prevented workers from entering for repairs to sanitary services. Repair or replacing damaged air conditioners is prevented. Residents are not allowed to bring working air conditioners from Camp Ashraf and to replace them. Despite Iraqi government's repeated promises, it continues not to replace or repair them.
These limitations are while the MOU signed between the Iraqi government and the UN on December 25, 2011, states: "It allows residents to enter into bilateral agreements with contractors to provide living necessities and requirements, such as water, food, communications, cleaning, and maintenance and reconstruction equipments at their own cost".
11. Withdraw all Western Troops from Afghanistan
The war in Afghanistan costs thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in defense of a corrupt and unpopular regime, one that is entirely dependent on Western troops and aid.
The war has inflamed Muslim opinion and failed to make Europe or the United States safer. Morality is undermined by recent NATO claims of no “confirmed” civilian casualties.
12. Protect the Christians in Iraq
The Iraqi Christians need to be protected from being attacked by Muslim extremist.
It is not morally justifiable to attack them because of their Christianity beliefs that disagrees with Islam religion.
13. Prevent Afghan Torture, Enforce Leahy Law
A recent United Nations report suggests that the United States and NATO allies are outsourcing torture and human rights violations in Afghanistan. The report concludes that there is a continuing pattern and practice of “systematic” torture in spite of repeated efforts at reform. (UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, October 2011)
Current US policy violates the Leahy Amendment to the Foreign Appropriations Act and Defense Appropriations Act (Sec. 563, P.L. 106-429 and Sec. 8092, P.L. 106-259, 2001).
14. No U.S. Escalation in Pakistan
The September 22 testimony of Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, may well “pave the way… to new unilateral military actions inside Pakistan,” including more drone strikes and, “even cross border raids into Pakistan to root out insurgents from their havens.” (New York Times, September 22-23, 2011)
After Mullen’s testimony, the Heritage Foundation immediately called for aggressive military and diplomatic escalation. (Christian Science Monitor, September 26, 2011) House Republicans are pushing an open-ended authorization for war against any insurgents anywhere in the world “associated” with the Taliban or Al Qaeda.
Enough is enough. Escalation in Pakistan is not in the national security interest of the United States. Already our drone attacks have provoked two terrorist near misses against American civilians, one at the Detroit airport on Christmas Day 2009 and another at Times Square on May 1, 2010. It is not in the economic interest of the United States; we cannot afford another trillion-dollar war. It is not in the moral interest of the United States; the drone attacks kill innocent people and inflame millions of Pakistanis against America.
The military pursuit of terrorist sanctuaries, first in Iraq and then in Afghanistan, has left behind thousands dead and wounded and only pushed the sanctuaries to new locations. Each escalation begets another. Besides Pakistan, our government is pursuing undeclared air wars against terrorist cells with drone attacks in Somalia and Yemen. (Washington Post, September 20, 2011)
It makes no sense to escalate attacks against the Pakistan sanctuaries of the Afghan Taliban while the US ends its combat role, gradually withdraws from Afghanistan, and supports a power-sharing arrangement with all parties. It is irrational to bomb the Taliban’s sanctuaries while inviting them to the peace table. A genuine diplomatic settlement requires a phased ending of the drone attacks as US troops phase out their role in Afghanistan.
Sending in ground troops backed by air power is as foolish as President Nixon’s 1970 invasion of Cambodia allegedly to wipe out Vietcong sanctuaries.
15. Stop Neo-Nazis
Killings, bombing, and terror in Norway, Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, Chechnya, Latin America, Spain, Japan, as well as government-sponsored terrorism in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and some other parts of the world should be enough to tell the whole humanity that something should be done.
Terrorism (especially government-sponsored terrorism) and Extremism are on the rise. It is high time we took action against terror, oppression, instability, and brutality.
16. العراق ليس للبيع! نريد عراق عظيم موحد للابد / Iraq is not for sale! One Great United Iraq for ever
تحاول امريكا تقسيم العراق الى ٥ دويلات صغيره! الشعب غاضب ويرفض ان يقسم من قبل قوات الاحتلال الامريكيه
نحن شعب واحد ونملك كل ارض العراق. ادعم الشعب العراقي وصوت معنا من اجل الحفاظ على العراق بلد عظيم موحد للابد
المصوتون في هذه الحمله يرفضون تقسيم العراق، فكن معنا وضع صوتك هنا
America is trying to divide Iraq to 5 countries! The people of Iraq are angry and refuse to be divided by the occupation forces.
We are one nation and own the whole land of Iraq. Support the people of Iraq, and vote with us to take care of Iraq and keep it one united great nation for ever.
17. Review Illegal Treatment to Ansar Imam Al Mahdi
To all respected news media and Human Rights organizations,
Three years ago, in the month of Muharram 2008, the Iraqi Government forces along with American and British forces attacked a group of followers of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan in the cities of Basra and Al-Nasiriyah. The Iraqi government admitted that they killed 400 in the attack. When they arrested the rest of the Ansar in Basra and sent them to Baghdad, they let them loose after it was made known through interrogation that they did not commit any crimes.
So what is the difference in the events of Al Nasiriyah?
Those that were attacked in Al Nasiriyah by some scholars and the higher council group, were tortured with the worse kind of torture in the governor's house. We ask the question... are there prisoners that are transferred to the house of the governor and tortured at the hands of some scholars?
By what law is that?
Then they arranged for them a trial and with false confessions that they wrote, and they judged them with execution. And when this case turned into discrimination, it remained for two years after the discrimination court decided to counter the judgment, but there are political pressures upon the discrimination court to validate the judgments.
Finally some of the Scholars and the Higher council took advantage of the crimes of Al Qaeda and the people's demands to prosecute them and execute them to pass the execution of 24 of the followers of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan and life imprisonment to 15 of the Ansar with them.
The Matter of validating the judgment of executing the Ansar is a political execution 100 percent, as there are political forces who wish to execute the Ansar along with the wave of Al Qaeda criminal executions, which in no way relate.
The Iraqi government has confessed to the crime of killing 400, only due to their religious beliefs, and we ask, is this the new democracy that is being built in Iraq? As you read this, they are in the process of executing another 24, who have committed no crime, and imprisoning another 15 to life sentences, due to their religious beliefs.
Accompanied Files:
The Martyr Mujtava who was shot and left to bleed to death while being beat in the incidents that took place in the infamous month of Muharram.
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/t9814.html
See how the big scholars are inciting violence against the Ansar simply because of their belief.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV-4FWKQ2dc
Al Fayad is here clearly asking the government to obliterate and bury the Ansar of Imam Mahdi a.s. in their place:
http://www.alfayadh.com/site/index.php? ... icle&id=41
The burning of the Library of the Ansar in Basra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUGpZLA2AA
Archive of photos of the destruction of the Husseiniya and Mosque of the Ansar of Imam Mahdi a.s.
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/t2119.html
http://www.amnesty.org/ar/news-and-updates/news/iraq-executions-follow-apparently-unfair-trials-20080418
EVERY NIGHT AT 9pm Mecca Time - the show- by what law is this? concerning what is happening against the Ansar, so join in the paltalk room
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/room.php
18. End the Occupation of Iraq before the end of 2011 حملة ﻹنهاء احتلال العراق قبل نهاية السنة الجارية
The US and Iraq have been in war for 20 years. It started with the 1991 bombing, followed by 13 years of economic sanctions and air-strikes, and now over 8 years of military occupation.
The US-Iraqi security agreement requires all the US troops to leave Iraq by December 31st 2011. It also requires that all US military bases are shut down or handed over to the Iraqi government by the same deadline.
الحرب ما بين العراق والولايات المتحدة بدأت قبل عشرين سنة، ولم تنته بعد. عشرون عاما من القصف والحصار واﻹحتلال العسكري
تلزم اﻹتفاقية اﻷمنية الموقعة ما بين العراق والولايات المتحدة الطرفين على إنهاء الوجود العسكري اﻷمريكي في العراق قبل نهاية العام الجاري. كما وتنص اﻹتفاقية على لزوم اغلاق جميع القواعد العسكرية اﻷمريكية أو تسليمها للجانب العراقي قبل نهاية العام الجاري ايضا
19. Urgent Action to Stop Killing of Residents of Camp Ashraf
Urgent Action to Stop Killing of Residents of Camp Ashraf.
Hundreds of injured residents in serious condition.
-Considering the criminal attack by Iraqi forces against defenseless residents of Ashraf which began at 04:45 am April 8, 2011;
-Considering that the attack was conducted on the order of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and under direct command of the Lieutenant General Ali Gheidan, commander of the ground forces;
-Considering that extermination of Camp Ashraf residents has been the constant demand of the Iranian regime;
- Considering that until April 8, 2011, some 33 residents were killed and 300 more wounded;
-Considering that the residents of Camp Ashraf are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention and enjoy all fundamental rights under international human rights law;
-Considering that Iraqi government, contrary to its commitment to respect the rights of Ashraf residents has constantly infringed its obligations;
-Considering repeated warnings by human rights organisations, statements and resolutions by members of parliaments in European countries and members of US Congress including the European Parliament resolution of April 24, 2009; EP Written Declaration of November 25, 2010 and Declaration by Council of Europe …., Congressional hearings in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee;
-Considering that in accordance with the Rome Treaty and the writ issued by the Spanish Court violation of the residents of Ashraf as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention constitutes war crime and crime against international community;
Petition: Protesting limitations imposed by Iraqi government on Iranian dissidents residing in Camp Ashraf in Iraq. These measures have been preventing the seriously ill patients including some cancer patients in critical conditions to be transported to Europe for treatments. We demand United Nations to take action and pressurize Iraqi government to facilitate this transfer under UN supervision.
According to the statement issued by Ms. Maryam Rajavi, names and files of these seriously ill patients along with the request for their transfer to European countries have been sent to international authorities in November 2009 and April 2010.
These inhumane limitations on these seriously ill patients have been in force since two years ago and increased in recent months and international authorities are well aware of inhumane actions of Iraqi government. Those signing this petition acknowledge their political and ideological differences and solely from a humanitarian point of view demand United Nations and other international organizations interfere and force Iraqi government to put an end to these limitations and allow these patients to be transported to better locations and receive treatments in better conditions.
Committee of supporting patients residing in Camp Ashraf
21. Stop Religious persecutions in Iraq!
In accord to UN General Assemblies, two very clear Declarations against RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE were done by them.
They are related to religious freedom. One resolution (adopted by the 36th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 1981-NOV-25)- Declaration On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Intolerance And Of Discrimination Based On Religion Or Belief - and A second resolution (adopted by the 48th session on 1993-DEC-20) also exists - ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE.
22. Tariq Aziz - Petition for Clemency
Tariq Aziz is a former member of the Iraqi regime who has recently been sentenced to death by the government and judiciary of Iraq.
He is not an evil man, and this does not have to HAPPEN.
23. Defend WikiLeaks – End the Secret Wars
We believe that WikiLeaks (founded by Julian Assange) and those whistleblowers who declassify documents in a time of secret war should be welcomed as defenders of democracy, not demonized as criminals.
We support their First Amendment rights and welcome their continued disobedience in response to a long train of official deception.
24. Assyrians the indigenous people of Iraq
It is a well known fact, due to historical evidence, that the Assyrians are the indigenous people of Iraq. Yet the Assyrians currently do not have any indigenous rights and are suffering as a nation.
On September 13, 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding declaration upholding the human, land and resources rights of the world's indigenous people. The declaration, also recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination and sets global human rights standards for them. It states that native peoples have the right "to the recognition, observance and enforcement of treaties" concluded with states or their successors.
Furthermore, it has been stated in the 111th Congress 1st session Senate resolution "Expressing the sense of the U.S. Senate on religious minorities in Iraq, October 26, 2009: (Whereas it is widely reported that only 500,000 to 700,000 indigenous Christians remain in Iraq as of 2009)". This is a dramatic reduction of the indigenous Assyrians considering that before the latest Iraqi War there were 1.3 million indigenous Assyrians in Iraq. It is worth noting that currently these people are suffering in neighboring countries due to lack of opportunities.
In conclusion, we are asking that you look into this matter so that the Assyrians do not become depleted from their motherland, and they be given their indigenous rights, so that there is a better chance for them to return to Iraq.
On Wed June 3rd, 2009, the Toronto Star published an article entitled “’Detox’ Takes Care of Radicals” by Isabel Teotonio.
The article was a brief exposition of the new “ideological detox” program created by Toronto’s Sheikh Ahmed Amiruddin of the Al Sunnah Institute. This program was designed to “heal Muslim youth who are showing signs of extremist behavior”. Composed of twelve steps, “ideological detox” is supposed to help Muslim youth steer away from a path of “Islamic extremism”. As a program that purports to utilize theological clarity and positive spirituality, Amiruddin’s “ideological detox” assumes that “Islamic extremism” is a spiritual illness that stems from theological and psychological misguidance.
Unfortunately, Teotonio’s article does not deal with two important blind-spots of this proposed “ideological detox” program:
(1) As numerous academics have studied, noted, and concluded (Robert Pape of the University of Chicago chief among them, see: Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism; NY: Random House Inc, 2006), “religious/ideological extremism”, or the resorting to violence by certain individuals, is a specific product stemming from the frustrations caused primarily by political upheavals. The chaotic suffering induced by military occupations and wars are chiefly responsible for the recruitment of individuals into organizations such as, say, al-Qaeda. The article does not note this well-established argument.
(2) This proposed program would work by having concerned individuals “red-flag” those within their community that exhibit “signs of extremism”. This procedure refers to an extremely vague methodology of identifying danger. Effectively, individuals will be “red-flagged” not for their deeds, but for expressing their thoughts. One can easily see how such a suggestion may prove intrusive upon the rights to free speech and expression that are so sacred to Canadian democracy. It is in fact an explicit replica of the Red Scare days of the 1950s, where McCarthyism indicted those who “appeared to exhibit signs of supporting communists”. Teotonio’s article does not probe critically into the implications of Amiruddin’s program. If picked up as a governing policy of sorts, this program can evolve into a damaging element within our democracy. The Canadian intelligence service CSIS has already shown interest in such a program, also espoused by Toronto-based Sheikh Mohammed Shaikh, and his respective organizations.
As one of Canada’s leading newspapers, the Toronto Star is responsible for informing the Canadian public on pertinent issues that may affect the well-being of our national security and democracy. In order to successfully excel in its responsibility as a vital cornerstone of Canadian democracy, the Toronto Star should consider critically probing the idea of endorsing a program of “ideological detox”.
The war in the Middle East is not only causing us innocent lives, but also causing us economic problems in our country. We must bring our troops home and take care of our own citizens.
27. BBC should apologise to the non-Persian communities in Iran
On Sunday 21 February BBC Persian Television, on the occasion of “The International Mother Language Day” dedicated “Nobat-e Shoma”, its most popular programme to the current state of non-official (vernacular) languages in Iran and Afghanistan.
The BBC presenter as well as its official website chose to use the term “Local” instead of vernacular or non-official languages thus announcing the programme: “How Is the State Of Local Languages in Your Country?”
We are confident that the management of the BBC would not wish to be party to this injustice. We therefore feel that we are justified to ask them to issue a public statement to acknowledge their error and perhaps to apologies to the non-Persian communities in Iran.
28. Save Families of Ashraf residents
Dear friends,
We are a number of residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq whose parents or relatives have been arrested by the clerical regime ruling Iran and are at the risk of being executed.
Camp Ashraf is home to 3,400 Iranian dissidents living in Iraq who have dedicated their lives to establishing freedom and democracy in Iran.
The relatives of Ashraf residents have been arrested on charges of having contacts with their loved ones in Ashraf or having visited Camp Ashraf in the past.
In order to make the Iranian regime stop its arbitrary arrests and executions, we appeal to you to sign this petition addressed to UN Secretary General. We also urge you to ask your friends, relatives and colleagues to sign this petition.
Gratefully,
A number of Ashraf residents
--------------------
دوستان عزيز,
ما تعدادي از ساكنان كمپ اشرف در عراق هستيم كه خانواده ها و بستگانمان توسط رژيم آخوندي حاكم بر ايران دستگير شده اند و در معرض شكنجه و اعدام قرار دارند .
كمپ اشرف محل استقرار 3400 تن از مخالفين ايراني ميباشد كه در عراق زندگي ميكنند و زندگي خود را وقف استقرار آزادي و دمكراسي در ايران كرده اند.
اقوام ساكنان اشرف به جرم داشتن تماس با عزيزانشان در اشرف يا ديدار از كمپ اشرف در گذشته دستگير شده اند.
براي وادار كردن رژيم ايران براي متوقف كردن دستگيريها و اعدام هاي خودسرانه اش, ما از شما درخواست ميكنيم كه اين طومار خطاب به دبيركل سازمان ملل را امضاء نماييد. ما همچنين از شما ميخواهيم كه از دوستان, اقوام و همكارانتان بخواهيد كه اين طومار را امضاء كنند.
با تشكر,
تعدادي از ساكنان اشرف
------------------------------
الصديق العزيز،
نحن عدد من سكّان معسكر أشرف في العراق الذين آباؤهم أو أقرباؤهم اعتقلوا من قبل نظام الملالي الحاكم في إيران وهم في خطر الإعدام.
إن مخيم أشرف هو مقر إقامة 3,400 معارض إيراني يعيشون في العراق وكرّسوا حياتهم للعمل على تحقيق الحرية والديمقراطية في إيران.
إن أقارب سكّان أشرف اعتقلوا بتهمة إجرائهم اتصالات مع أحبائهم وأعزائهم في أشرف أو بعد أن زاروا المعسكر أشرف في الماضي.
لكي يقوم النظام الإيراني بوقف اعتقالاته الاعتباطية وإصداره أحكام الإعدام، نناشدك توقيع هذه العريضة المرسلة إلى الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة. نحثّك أيضا على أن ترجو أصدقاءك وأقرباءك وزملاءك أن يوقّعوا هذه العريضة.
مع فائق الشكر والامتنان
عدد من سكّان أشرف
اطلاق سراح الكاتبة هبة الشمري
30. Support the imprisoned elected Kurdish politicians and human rights activists in Turkey!
Yüksel Baran, Leyla Güven, Abdullah Demirbaş, Firat Anli and Yurdusev Özsökmenler are some of the 80 democratically elected mayors and politicians who are now detained on charges of terrorism. Not only the elected politicians were arrested but also Muharrem Erbey, Chairman of the respected human rights organization IHD in Diyarbakir, and the organization's office was searched by the police. This is the fourth major crackdown on Kurdish politicians since DTP won a landslide victory in the local elections in March 2009.
The arrested politicians belong to those who worked hardest for local democracy in their communities. They have worked for women's rights, started women's centers and in spite of constant harassment from the Turkish state they have tried to build a functioning infrastructure in their municipalities.
As municipal politicians we are deeply outraged over the treatment of the elected politicians. Unfortunately, the Turkish state wants to crush the democracy that they are strenuously trying to build up in the Kurdish municipalities. It is time for local politicians in Sweden and politicians throughout Europe to declare that this is not acceptable. Turkey has signed the UN Declaration on Human Rights and as a signing country you are pledged to follow the declaration. Respect for national minorities and the right to freedom of expression is a prerequisite for membership in the European Union and Turkey have agreed to negotiate for membership on this basis.
If Turkey is to have any credibility left as a modern country towards democracy, they must have the imprisoned elected politicians and human rights activists immediately released.
Ann-Margarethe Livh
Opposition city commissioner (V) in Stockholm,
Chairman of the Stockholm Committee for Kurdish rights
Naile Aras
Local politician (V) in Järfälla,
Board member of the Stockholm Committee for Kurdish rights