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Support Political Prisoners! Sign letters of support!Add your signature to these letters using the online form at the bottom of the page. To the Yemeni Government: Your Excellency, I write to appeal to you, on humanitarian, legal and political grounds, to continue your fight for the release of Sheikh Mohamad Al Moayad and Mohamad Zayed from the inhumane custody of the government of the United States. We, people and organizations of conscience, understand that Sheikh Moayad and Mr. Zayed were unjustly prosecuted and held accountable for acts that are legal in Yemen, the Arab World, Africa and parts of Europe, specifically supporting the Palestinian struggle for self determination and survival against the oppressive, racist, extermination by the Zionist Israeli Government. In view of the information available to us concerning this case, Sheikh Al Moayad and Mr. Zayed are deprived of their freedom while held in extremely inhumane conditions through violation of the laws of Yemen, the laws of the United States, and the laws of the international community, all of which prohibit the imprisonment of peaceful members of society who behave in full compliance with the laws of their jurisdiction. Furthermore, the case of Sheikh Moayad and Mr. Zayed was tainted by a flood of prejudicial evidence and was seriously compromised by the terror tactics of the US Government. The FBI intimidated the defense witnesses, obstructed the participation of the Shiekh's Arab Attorney, and prevented the testimony of the witnesses of the Sheikh by obstructing their visas. The witnesses for Zayed, Mr. Zahr and Mr. Fusayil, were treated as criminals. They were met and interrogated in the airport by FBI agents and their property, which was to be evidence for the defense, was destroyed. These two witnesses were then held in a hotel under full FBI supervision and monitoring, prevented from contacting anyone-even family members. They were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms, and were allowed to meet with defense attorneys only in the rooms where they were forced to remain. American expert witnesses were accused of being terrorist supporters because they testified in defense of Sheikh Moayad and Mr. Zayed. One Defense witness was interrogated in his home on a Sunday evening two days before he was to testify. His home was later burned down in a suspicious manner. Mr. Moayad had complained for a year and half that the Court Appointed Attorney was not interested in fighting to prove his innocence and was only concerned with having Mr. Moayad become an FBI Agent, yet the Judge refused to relieve that attorney even when independent counsel appeared. Even when appointed counsel did appear the Judge refused to grant an adjournment so that the attorneys could effectively prepare their defense, which would have otherwise required a minimum of one year of pretrial work. We have followed the case of US v Mohammad Moayad and US v Mohamad Zayed and find that not only was his trial biased and unfair, but that it was a political message sent to the people of the Arab World. It is a warning to all supporters of justice to cease their support of the Palestinian Struggle for Self Determination or face the fate that your citizens now face. Mr. Moayad was found guilty of supporting Hamas by way of receipts of funds sent to Palestinian Charities which have not been linked to Hamas. He was accused in large part because he traveled to Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon and met with others in Beirut to organize around Palestine. And as you know, the Government of Yemen, like many other governments around the world, proudly supports Palestine and allows Hamas offices and official status in its territory. It is not for the US Government to determine the laws of any country, Arab or otherwise. The US Government cannot be allowed to force its foreign policy, or worse yet the Zionist-Israeli foreign policy, on any other sovereign. The acts taken by the US in this case, among others, are abhorrent to the laws of the country which now holds your nationals and to laws of the international community as a whole. True freedom, of the state and the individual, can only come with principled courage. We fear that if you allow this case to go unchallenged by your government, you will set a dangerous precedent for the whole of the Arab World and indeed the international community. We urge you to demand that Mr. Moayad and Mr. Zayed who have spent their lives serving the oppressed in Yemen, Palestine and Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria be returned to Yemen immediately. In the least, we ask that you demand that they be placed in the most humane conditions until they are given another chance to fairly fight the baseless charges against them, and that they be allowed visitors and removed from solitary confinement. We are certain that you will continue to show Your support of Sheikh Moayad and Mr. Zayed as they appeal their convictions. As you may well know, this case is not simply about Sheikh Moayad and Mr. Zayed, it is about you, your people, your policies-Sheikh Al Moayad and Mr. Zayed are the sacrificial lambs-the collateral damage as the government calls it. Let your people know that you will not allow them to be victims of the US-Israeli war of terror, that you will not let them become victims in the campaign to criminalize Palestinians and the Palestinian struggle for liberation. Let your people know that you value them as dignified people with a right to make decisions without the duress imposed by American-Zionist interests by this case. We simply ask that you boldly stand up for justice and for your people, Yemeni, Palestinian and Arab alike. Respectfully Yours, Hon. Judge Sterling Johnson
Hon. Judge Johnson; It has been brought to my attention that you are the Judge presiding on the Judgement and Commital of Sheikh Mohamad Al Moayad and Mohamad Zayed. I have followed the case of Sheikh Mohamad Al Moayad and Mohamad Zayed closely and believe a grave injustice has been done. I believe the government behaved unfairly and that there existed a dramatic inequity of resources and power which if non-existent would have allowed for a non-guilty verdict. While I am aware of the fact that I cannot force His Honor to issue a Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict, I do issue a plea to His Honor in the best interest of justice, and the integrity of the court, to at least consider issuing such a judgment in light of the government's failure to have proven jurisdiction, in light of the government's failure to demonstrate the trustworthiness of the transcripts, tape recordings, and in light of the government's failure to attribute pre-sting suspicion to the Palestinian Organizations Mr. Al Moayad is alleged to have supported. Alternatively, I ask His Honor to consider the counts as arising from a single transaction, specifically the transaction between Mr. Moayad and Mr. Zayed and Mr. Sharif, the FBI Agent posing as a former Black Panther. I implore the Court to consider the history of Mr. Al Moayad as a spiritual leader, a civil servant, and as a community builder and developer, his repuatation as Father of the Orphans in Yemen. I hope the Court bears in mind that although Mr. Al Moayad held beliefs about Israel which sit in contradiction to the policies of this administration, he had never acted violently against any individual or state. In fact, he spent his years arbitrating between people, tribes and communities to avoid violence. Mr. Al Moayad and Mr. Zayed have been imprisoned two years and four months in states which do not speak their language, they have been unable to express themselves to the prison administration or to the Courts effectively and have suffered tremendously as a result. Both men have been in solitary confinement since their extradition and, because the Prosecution has threatened to imprison any and all relatives which attempt to enter the United States, they have not seen their families since their arrest. I pray that His Honor will consider these aggravating circumstances of the arrest in making His decision. Indeed this is a sensitive case for citizens of this nation and citizens of the world, the steps His Honor takes now will be closely watched by all. Please help us all find faith in the United States justice System by doing what is clearly just. Thank you. Respectfully, Metropolitan Detention Center
I am ____________ and interested in human rights, specifically the state of prisoners in the United States. I became quite concerned after hearing about the case of Mohamad Al Moayad and Moahamd Zayed. I understand that they are being detained at the MDC in the Special Housing Unit in solitary confinement. I also understand that they have otherwise never been to the United States, do not speak English and have no family in the United States. It is clear that such confinement without human contact is violative of domestic and international laws and a vilation of basic human rights. I ask that you consider transferring both men to general population or in the alterntive allow them visitors. I am willing to consider visiting the men and will continue to follow this case until I believe both men are treated justly and humanely. I am also aware that Mr. Zayed's psychological condition is fragile and the Mr. Al Moayad's health is also deteriorating and that he is not receiving an hour of exercise as otherwise alloted SHU prisoners. I hope that you can ensure that both men are given regular access to physicians and that when the physician visits a translator be provided so that each can express his needs and/or symptoms effectively and understand which medicines are being prescribed and in what manner they are to be consumed. I have also learned that both men are restricted from access to literature and magazines that are void of any news and that although they have ordered books many months ago they have yet to receive any of them. Of further concern is that both men rarely receive visits from a Muslim cleric and although both have been requesting religious items as allowed them by your own prison's rules, they have yet to receive the items which include body oils, wrist watches, prayer rugs, and prayer beads. This is disturbing especially when one considers their model behavior under extreme holding conditions. All this appears to be a serious infringement upon the basic human dignity of both Mr. Zayed and Mr. Moayad, more concerning is that this appears to be a religiously and ethnically motivated infringement by your institution. I urge you to look into these matters so that suspicion about your instituion's policies can be dispelled and so that we can all rest assured that prisoners are treated justly and not punished on the grounds of their race or religion. I understand you must be very busy and I appreciate your time. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours,
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