12 April: Targeted and Entrapped – Vigil for Ahmed Ferhani

Targeted & Entrapped: Ahmed Ferhani fights for his life. Vigil, Press Conference Tuesday, April 12th 1 Police Plaza 3:00 pm Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1735738103322377/ NYPD Undercover Detective Ilter Ayturk & his CIA […]

Targeted & Entrapped: Ahmed Ferhani fights for his life.

Vigil, Press Conference
Tuesday, April 12th
1 Police Plaza
3:00 pm

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1735738103322377/

NYPD Undercover Detective Ilter Ayturk & his CIA Trained Handler, Detective Steve Pinkall infiltrated our community organizations with the intent of entrapping those organizing for the human rights of Palestinians. They failed miserably.

They would instead target, Ahmed Ferhani, a young man, son, who escaped civil war and has been enduring life-long mental illness and poverty.

Ahmed attempted suicide in prison last week and remains in a coma.

Join us in vigil to support our brother Ahmed and to express our anger at the NYPD for their complicity.

Read: The Nation article on Ahmed Ferhani’s case and suicide attempt
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Press Release:

A coalition of civil rights and human rights and community based groups across New York are hosting a rally and vigil for Ahmed Ferhani outside One Police Plaza on Tuesday April 12, 2016 at 3 p.m. to rally against the pervasive abuse of Ferhani, and other inmates by the Department of Corrections, and to pray Ferhani’s recovery.

Ahmed Ferhani, who was prosecuted by way of an embarrassing entrapment case run by the NYPD’s secret surveillance unit is in the Intensive Care Unit of the Eerie County Medical Center after attempting suicide while in the custody of the infamous Attica Prison in Buffalo New York. After months of complaining of abuse at the hands of Attica to the DOC’s Superintendent and to the Attorney General, Ferhani threatened to and did attempt to take his own life to end the abuse.

Ferhani had not been placed on suicide watch but had made prior attempts to harm himself, while he was in custody and before he was entrapped by the NYPD. Ferhani’s attorneys maintain that Ferhani was targeted specifically because he struggled with mental health issues since he was a child. “When the NYPD had so miserably failed to find any unlawful activity after years of pouring countless resources into an illegal surveillance project they sent an undercover to manipulate and essentially bribe the young Ferhani into parroting the words they needed to justify the sham and unconstitutional investigation.” The actions of the NYPD have come under heavy attack since AP leaked the details of the secret surveillance unit and the NYPPD now faces litigation brought by victims of the mass surveillance project post 9-11.

“If it were not enough that he was targeted and preyed upon by the NYPD, the Department of Corrections unleashed its worst predatory practices against Ferhani. Ferhani was repeatedly harassed, abused and beaten by his jailers who believed he was a terrorist without having the facts of his case. He was neither protected nor acknowledged by the Department, now he is dying at the tender age of 30, after a lifetime of hardship and abuse. It is an outrage and justice will be served. It may be late, but it will be had.” Said counsel for Ferhani’s family, Lamis Deek.

The Press Conference is expected to start at 3pm outside One Police Plaza and will be followed by a vigil.

Media Inquiries Contact: Lamis Deek, 917-607-0072, 212-226-3999; Fahd Ahmed 917-744-5526 and Gideon Oliver 1646-263-3495, Dima Abi Saab 646-920-7114