ACTION ALERT
For Immediate Release
24 July 2004
Al-Awda Mourns the Death of Farouk Abdel
Muhti
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return
Coalition mourns the tragic death of Palestinian activist
Farouk Abdel Muhti. Farouk, who addressed Al-Awda's international
convention in New York this past April, fought unselfishly
for Palestinian refugee rights and for the rights of all
other oppressed and dispossessed peoples around the world.
As a stateless Palestinian, Farouk stood against imperialism
and oppression in Palestine and everywhere. His dedicated
work and example will live on.
We, in Al-Awda, know that Farouk would
want us to redouble our efforts for the right to return,
for a free Palestine, and for freedom, justice and equality.
He would consider such efforts as a great gift in celebration
of his life that we now honor.
Donations have been requested to help
cover Farouk's funeral expenses. Please make checks payable
to CHRI (Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants),
write "Farouk" on the memo line, and send to CHRI,
330 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012. Any excess funds
will go toward work against immigration detention and toward
assistance for Farouk's family. These contributions are
not tax-deductible.
Below is the statement from the Committee
to Free Farouk Abdel-Muhti, the group that spearheaded Farouk's
defense effort during the two years he spent as a political
prisoner of the US Bureau Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
Farouk Abdel-Muhti,
1947-2004
On the evening of Wednesday, July 21,
2004, as he finished speaking at an event in Philadelphia,
New York City-based Palestinian activist Farouk Abdel-Muhti
lost consciousness. Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive
him at the scene, and he was rushed to the hospital, where
he was pronounced dead around 10 pm. His close friend Sharin
Chiarazzo was at his side. The cause of death has not been
determined. Farouk was speaking at a panel discussion
titled "Detentions and Torture: Building Resistance,"
at the Philadelphia Ethical Society, giving personal testimony
on his experience being detained for nearly two years and
focusing on the struggle to build a movement against detentions.
Farouk's family and friends are devastated
and in shock. Farouk would have celebrated his 57th birthday
in a few weeks, on August 9th. While his health had not
recovered from his two years in detention (including eight
months in solitary confinement), no one suspected his life
was at risk.
We will let you know about funeral arrangements
as soon as we can.
Democracy Now has a story on Farouk's
passing, and has posted a recording of his final speech:
[http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/22/1349215]
=========================================================
Committee for the Release of Farouk Abdel-Muhti
PO Box 20587, Tompkins Square Station, New York, NY 10009
Phone: 212-674-9499 * Email freefarouk@yahoo.com
Websites: http://www.freefarouk.org
* freefarouk.netfirms.com
=========================================================
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return
Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-685-3243
Fax: 360-933-3568
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return
Coalition (PRRC) is the largest network of grassroots activists
and students dedicated to Palestinian human rights. We are
a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3)
organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) of the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines,
your donations to PRRC
are tax-deductible. |
