An Open Letter to the US Ambassador to Iraq By Mahmoud Alyousseph

An Open Letter to the US Ambassador to Iraq

By Mahmoud Alyousseph

Al-Jazeerah, October 19, 2006

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad

United States Ambassador to Iraq

As an American citizen and a retired veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, I would like to express my dire concern regarding Mrs. Golshan Al-Bayati*, a well known Iraqi journalist and writer. She is the correspondent of the Al-Hayat London-based Arabic newspaper in Iraq. I would like you to intercede on behalf of Mrs. Al-Bayati and ensure her immediate release.

Mrs. Al Bayati is a mother of 3 children, who was first arrested on September 11th 2006, then released. Mrs. Al Bayati was rearrested shortly after her release on September 15th 2006, in the city of Tikrit, after she attempted to retrieve her computer and car, which were confiscated during the raid on her house.

It seems to me that her arrest was arbitrary, which is illegal under international law. Her arrest was carried out by one of the Iraqi Army's many militias, after she wrote about corruption and human rights abuses in Iraq.

I urge you to use your influence to help save her life and prevent any further humiliation to this brave woman. She was arrested and tortured during the holy month of Ramadan, which for all Muslims and Iraqis is considered a month of mercy and forgiveness.

Two decades ago, my younger brother was abducted and detained in Lebanon by the Israeli Occupation Forces for 18 months. He was on a family reunion vacation with his wife and daughter from Germany. I know the pain, fear, and agony that he and the rest of our family went through on a day-to-day basis during his captivity.

Mrs. Al Bayati should be given an immediate independent legal counsel, as is her right under humanitarian law (including Article 113 of the 4th Geneva Convention) and international human rights law (Article 14, paragraph 3, section b of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).

I would also like to point out that those who are holding her in an unsafe location are in further violation of Article 85 of the 4th Geneva Convention. In America we value and treasure the freedom of speech dearly. If one of the objectives of our forces in Iraq is to ensure such freedom, then for goodness's sake, why would you allow a journalist to be detained and tortured just for exercising her right and doing her work?

Imagine the outrage if the renowned investigative reporter Bob Woodward were to be detained solely because of his journalistic work? My oldest son is a US Army soldier who returned last year from Iraq after spending 10 months there. I don't think he would be thrilled to know, that he risked his own life to see innocent Iraqis continue to suffer under our watchful eyes.

When the young American reporter Jill Carroll was kidnapped in Iraq last January, Muslim Americans spoke out. They condemned her captivity and demanded her unconditional release. They even sent a delegation to Iraq to plea with her captors for her life. The same happened when four members of the Christian Peacemakers team were taken captive in Iraq.

Last March, the sky fell over Afghanistan when a 41-year old Afghani man, Abdul Rahman was arrested after converting to Christianity. Every western diplomat and head of state demanded his immediate release. Fortunately, he is now enjoying his freedom in Italy.

Last Saturday, the whole world was shocked to learn that Anna Politovskaya, a Russian journalist was found dead in central Moscow. Like her Iraqi counterpart, Anna Politkovskaya also exposed Russian military abuses against civilians in Chechnya. Our State Department spokesman immediately protested her assassination, describing it as a
"heinous crime", and called for the arrest of her killers. Meanwhile U.S. Ambassador in Moscow attended Mrs. Politkovskaya's funeral and blasted Russian officials over her death.

I wrote to U.S. military officials in Iraq a few days ago regarding Mrs. Al-Bayati. The response came back stating that the matter will be referred to the attention of our Embassy in Baghdad.

I appeal to you in the name of fairness, justice, and human decency to help put an end to the suffering of this brave Iraqi woman and to demand an immediate and unconditional release of Mrs. Golshan Al-Bayati.

Sincerely,

Mahmoud El-Yousseph

TSGT- USAF [Ret.], OH, USA.

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*Mrs. Al-Bayati is an Irqi Turkman.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

Apartheid Wall


The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03).

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