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American Islamic Congress Slams Sudan for Jailing Teacher
Launches FreeGillian.org Letter-Writing Drive
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Nov. 29, 2007 –The American Islamic Congress today slammed the decision by a Sudanese court to jail a British teacher for 15 days over a teddy bear’s name and called for an immediate pardon.
“This fabricated outrage must be denounced,” stated Nasser Weddady, the organization’s Civil Rights Outreach Director. “Gillian Gibbons should not be in jail even for one minute.”
Gillian Gibbons, a teacher at Unity High School in Khartoum, was convicted with insulting religion for naming a class teddy bear "Muhammad." She is then slated to be deported.
“We have learned our lesson from the Danish cartoon riots - we have to speak out immediately when extremists provoke a clash over trivial matters,” Weddady explained. “This is not about cultural relativism. No one anywhere should be jailed for naming a stuffed animal.”
To help the international campaign for Ms. Gibbons’s release, the American Islamic Congress has launched an online letter-writing campaign at www.FreeGillian.org. People from around the world are able to send a letter to the Sudanese government. The campaign’s slogan is “Not for One Minute” and hopes to generate 500 letters in the next week.
“We need to say here ‘Not in our name,’” Weddady observed. “The Sudanese government and the judge that rendered this decision have no right or authority to speak in the name of the Muslim community. We hope they will come to their senses and free Ms. Gibbons at once.”
The American Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas among Muslims and between other peoples. With the motto “passionate about moderation,” the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, Boston, Egypt, and Iraq.
Contact: Jina Hassan, +1.617.266.0080
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