Tuesday, April 24, 2012

U.S. Relents and Grants Pakistani Lawyer a Visa in Time for International Drone Summit


Updates listed in Comments below this post...

NOTES for journalists in preparation for the Summit from Reprieve.org.uk here and Calendar/Registration/Maps (Saturday 28 April progam is OPEN to the PUBLIC) Go the ccrjustice.org here
Pakistani man holds child dead from drone. Photo credit: JangDailyNews.com July 2011. WASHINGTON - April 24 - After months of pressure from human rights activists, the U.S. government has granted Pakistani lawyer Shahzad Akbar a visa to attend and speak at an INTERNATIONAL DRONE SUMMIT in Washington DC on April 28, 2012. The Summit is organized by the peace group CODEPINK and the legal advocacy organizations Reprieve and the Center for Constitutional Rights. Akbar, co-founder of the Pakistani human rights organization Foundation for Fundamental Rights, filed the first case in Pakistan on behalf of family members of civilian victims of CIA drone strikes and has been a critical force in litigating and advocating on victims' behalf. He had been invited to speak in the US before and first sought a visa nearly a year ago. His request had been pending since then. CCRJustice.org - The Center for Constitutional Rights (See CCRJustice.org), a major contibutor to this Summit is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change. For more info on this topic plz see the posts below this one at nomorecrusades.blogspot.com

6 comments:

  1. RE The 1st International Drone Summit: There is to be a press conference on Thursday, April 26 at 12:30pm in the Zenger Room at the National Press Club (529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045).

    For more information or to arrange an interview with any of the organizers or speakers of the Summit, contact Ramah Kudaimi at rkudaimi@gmail.com or 708-822-5880.

    SPEAKERS at the Summit include Pakistani Member of Parliament Amna Buttar (and see the other names below under WATCH for REPORTS)

    The organizers are holding a press conference on Thursday, April 26 at 12:30pm in the Zenger Room at the National Press Club (529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20045).

    For more information or to arrange an interview with any of the organizers or speakers, contact Ramah Kudaimi at rkudaimi@gmail.com or 708-822-5880.

    For more on this issue, see the posts below this one at nomorecrusades.blogspot.com as well as at CCRJustice.org
    Voices for Creative NonViolence
    CODE PINK
    Reprieve.uk
    ACLU
    Amnesty USA

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  2. Find more of Shahzad Akbar Sahib's comments and more references to the Summit here:

    http://reprieve.org.uk/press/2012_04_24_shahzad_akbar_drone_lawyer_granted_visa/

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  3. Unbelievable!!!

    http://www.thenation.com/article/167759/drone-summit-and-why-washington-correspondents-dinner-wasnt-funny

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  4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVK0R4V9SXY&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to4Z3ixxfog&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWVdBvYyQ-k&feature=relmfu

    Or seek out this issue -- these journalists, experts & books. There should be plenty of reports coming up soon. Also note Jeremy Scahill's recent interview on Yemen with Terry Gross.

    Plz add what you find to the comments below.

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  5. http://lightupthedarkness-noor.blogspot.com/2012/05/drone-film-maker-denied-us-visa.html

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  6. Interestingly Written...!! Like the way you explained..Thanks for the post

    Visa for Pakistani

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