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Protest at Texas women’s prison demands freedom for Aafia Siddiqui

By staff

Jess Sundin and Mauri’ Saalakhan at protest for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui

Fort Worth, TX – More than 40 protesters gathered at the Carswell federal prison, March 30, to demand freedom for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and the other women political prisoners held here.

Hundreds of cars slowed as they passed by, to see what the protest was about. The saw a large banner with Aafia Siddiqui’s face and the demand “Free Aafia” along with signs demanding freedom for Aafia Siddiqui and jailed activist attorney Lynne Stewart.

Jess Sundin, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, called for the release of Siddiqui and the other political prisoners held at Carswell, including the Colombian revolutionary “Sonia,” people's attorney Lynne Stewart and environmentalist Marie Mason. Sundin was one of the anti-war activists raided by the FBI in 2010.

Mauri’ Saalakhan, of the Peace Thru Justice Foundation, told the crowd, “This demonstration is important. Our presence here two years ago broke through some of the isolation of sister Aafia. Five days after our protest, she was allowed her first phone call home to Karachi, to talk to her mother, her sister and two of her children. A couple months after that, she was allowed her first visitor, her brother Mohamed.”

The protest at Carswell is a part of a growing movement to stop political repression in the U.S.

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