PRESS RELEASE
George Galloway MP has launched this petition today for the RELEASE OF TARIQ AZIZ and ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS in Iraq. The Petition will be widely circulated, in order to have the greatest number of prestigious and influential signatures. By the end of this year, the petition will be sent to the United Nations, the British Government, and the American Congress.
Petition for the Release of Mr Tariq Aziz
We the Undersigned call for the release from custody of the Chairman of the Baghdad Conference - which coordinated the international campaign against sanctions and war on Iraq - Mr Tariq Aziz whom we believe to be held by the American Occupation Forces at the airport in Baghdad. He is being subject to endless interrogation. There is no legitimate legal basis for his continuing detention. As UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stated in September 2004, the attack upon Iraq was illegal and it follows that the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of Tariq Aziz was equally illegal.
Consequently, we demand the release of Tariq Aziz and the thousands of political prisoners being held without trial or charge by the British and American Occupation forces.
The Undersigned
1. Ahmed Bin Bella: Former President of Algeria, Algeria
2. Jean – Pierre Chevenement: Mayor of Belfort &Former French Minister of Interior, France
3. The Rt. Hon Tony Benn: Former British Cabinet Minister, UK
4. George Galloway: Member of Parliament (RESPECT; the Unity Coalition), UK
5. Mahmood Al-Maghribi: Former Prime Minister of Libya, UK
6. Ahmad Obeidat: Former Prime Minister of Jordan and Lawyer, Jordan
7. Mohsin Alaini: Former Prime Minister of Yemen, Yemen
8. Kerry Pollard: Member of Parliament (Labour), UK
9. Bob Wareing: Member of Parliament (Labour), UK
10. Lord Nazir Ahmed: Labour Member of the House of Lords, UK
11. Lord Rea: Labour Member of the House of Lords, UK
12. Abdel Barri Atwan: Chief Editor of Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper, UK
13. Maan Bashour: Head of the Arab National Institute, Lebanon
14. Mr Hamdeen Sabbahi: Member of Parliament, Egypt
15. Hans von Sponeck: Former UN Humanitarian Coordinator of the Oil For Food Programme in Iraq from 1998 to 2000
16. Didier Julia: French Member of Parliament &Vice - President of the French – Iraqi Parliamentary Friendship Group, France
17. Lieth Shbelat: Former President of the Professional Union Association, Former Member of Parliament, Former President of Engineers Association and former Chairman of the Anti Corruption Parliamentary Committee, Jordan
18. Paul- Marie Couteaux: French Member of the European Parliament, Brussels
19. Dia El Dine Dawood: General Secretary Arab Nasserist Democratic Party, Egypt
20. Pierre Biarnès: Senator of French People Abroad, France
21. Patrick Moriau: Member of Parliament &Mayor, Belgium
22. Sami Nair: Member of the European Parliament, Brussels
23. André Gerin: Mayor of Vénissieux – Rhône Member of Parliament, France
24. Michel Debray: Vice- Admiral in Second Section, Town Councillor in Senlis, Former Chair of the Charles de Gaulle Institute, France
25. Hani Al Khasawneh: Former Minister, Jordan
26. Dr Ali Bin Mohammed: Former Minister, Algeria
27. Maestro Angeles: Former Member of Parliament &Physician Specialist in Public health, Spain
28. Issam Naaman: Former Member of Parliament &Minister of Telecommunications, Lebanon
29. Jean- Claude Fortuit: Former Member of Parliament, France
30. Mansour Murad: Former Member of Parliament, Jordan
31. Dr. Ashraf El Bayoumi: Former Head of the Observation Team of the UN-WFP Oil for Food Programme in Iraq and Vice President of Alexandria Association of Human Rights Advocates, Egypt
32. Mohammed Bileid: Former Ambassador and Member of the Executive Committee of the Arab National Conference, Algeria
33. Dr. Sa’doon Al Zubaydi: Former Ambassador &English Literature Professor at Baghdad University, Iraq
34. Jihad G. Karam: Former Ambassador &Member of the Human Rights Committee of Lawyers "Barreau de Bayrouth", Lebanon
35. Jose Luis Galan Martin: Lawyer, Spain
36. Isabelle Coutant-Peyre: Barrister, France
37. Ahmed Najdawi: Lawyer, Jordan
38. General Pierre Gallois: France
39. Maria Abia: Lawyer, Spain
40. Amal Mahmood: Lawyer and Activist, Egypt
41. Father Antonie Daw: General Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Islamic – Christian dialogue, Lebanon
42. Father Jean-Marie Benjamin: Coordinator of the Defence Council of Lawyers, France
43. Raymond Coumont: Chairman of Christian employee Union of Belgium [CNE], Belgium
44. Michel Grimard: President of the Christian Movement, France
45. Michel Lelong: Priest, France
46. Elias Khouri: Representative of Union of Arab Jurists to the United Nations, Switzerland
47. Sabah Al Mukhtar: President of the Arab Lawyers Association, UK
48. Elias Firzli: Local Consultant, politician and political writer, France
49. Dr Naser Al Saba: Legal Consultant, France
50. Alain Corvez (Colonel): International Strategy Advisor, France
51. Xaviere Jardez: Lawyer, France
52. Dr Adan Abdullah: Member of Medical Doctors Union , Jordan
53. Mohammed Abadneh: Member of Pharmacists Union, Jordan
54. Danielle Jauveau: President of the Humanitarian Association, France
55. Dr. Mohammed Al-Obaidi: Spokesman for the Iraqi People’s Struggle Movement, UK
56. Marie Lussan: President of France-Iraq Brotherhood Association, France
57. Dirk Adriaensens: President of Save Our Souls -Iraq [SOS Iraq], Belgium
58. Maher Makhloof: Member of the Executive Committee of the Nasserist Party and Member of the Cairo Conference, Egypt
59. Jeanne de Chantal Van de Cruys: Chairman of the European Committee for Peace and Solidarity with the Iraqi People [ECSI], Belgium
60. Dr Yaqoub Keswani: Chariman of Hamah Party and Chairman of Third World Economists Society, Jordan
61. Gilles Munier: Secretary General of the French Iraqi Friendship Organisation, France
62. Fawaz Zureikat: Chairman of Mariam Appeal, Jordan
63. Basem Qaqish: Member of the Campaign Against the Occupation and the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI), Spain
64. Jean-Pierre Lussan: Former Regional Advisor-France/Iraq Brotherhood Association, France
65. Khalid Omar: Member of the Executive Committee of Arab Youth Club and Journalist, Egypt
66. Carlos Varea: Campaign Coordinator of the Campaign Against the Occupation and the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI), Spain
67. Loles Olivan: Member of the Campaign Against the Occupation and the Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI), Spain
68. Khaled Bensmain: General Secretary of the Movement for the Democracy of Algeria [MDA], Algeria
69. The Central Committee of Communist Party of Slovakia, Slovakia
70. Antonio Loche: President of the Italian Institute for Asia, Italy
71. Dr Mohammed Said Edries: Deputy Manager of Al Ahram Centre for Political &Strategic Studies &Chief Editor of Iran Digest
72. Elsebaly Hamid: President of Babylon Group &Coordinator of the Cooperation Belo Iraqi Committee, Belgium
73. Nassr Shamaly: Member of the Arab National Congress and political writer, Syria
74. Sobhi Toma: President of the Anti War Committee, France
75. Yves Buannic: Founder and Honorary President of "Enfants du Monde Droits de L’Homme", France
76. Tayseer Humsi: Chairman of the Jordanian Arabic Communist Baath Party, Jordan
77. Mohammed Zayan: Member of the Executive Committee of the Arab National Conference, UK
78. Bakir Ibrahim: Former Member of the Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party &Political writer, Sweden
79. Awni Khrais: Member of the National Palestinian Committee of Jordan, Jordan
80. Jaime Ballesteros: Chair of the Organisation of Solidarity with Asian, African &South American People –OSPAAL, Spain
81. Jamie Ballesteros: President of OSPAAL (Organisation of Solidarity with the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America, SPAIN
82. Pierre Bercis: President of "Nouveaux Droits de L’Homme", France
83. Dr Yousif Makki: Writer and Chief Editor of "Arab Renewal" website, Saudi Arabia
84. Roser Giros Tomas: Member of the Platform for Liberation &Sovereignty of Iraq [PASI], Spain.
85. Dr Fouad Elhage: Chairman of the Australian Iraqi Friendship Association and Editor in Chief of Al Moharer, Australia
86. Izabella Kiraly: President of the Party for Hungarian Interests, Hungary
87. Akram Humsi: Secretary General of Jajeera Club, Jordan
88. Pedro Ortiz Sanchez: Member of the Catalan Association of Squads to Nicaragua [ACBN], Spain
89. Hisham Najdawi: Chairman of the Iraq Universities and Institutes of Graduates Club of Jordan, Jordan
90. Paul Balta: Writer and Honorary Director of the Centre for Contemporary Oriental Studies, France
91. Dr Ali Mahafzah: Professor at the University of Jordan and former President of Mut’ah &Yarmouk Universities, Jordan
92. Sayed Nassar: Journalist and Researcher on Middle Eastern issues, Egypt
93. Dr. Mezri Haddad: Professor of Political Sciences, France
94. Edmond Jouve: Professor at Rene Descartes University, France
95. Claude Gaucherand: (Contre –admiral en 2emesection), France
96. Mostafa Bakry: Chief Editor of Elosboa weekly newspaper, Egypt
97. Amaury Couderc: Lawyer, France
98. Nasreddin Baggar: Lawyer, France
99. Patrick Brunot: Lawyer, France
100. Maurice Buttin: Lawyer, France
101. Xavière Jardez: Lawyer, France
102. Jean-Pierre Lussan: Lawyer &Regional Councillor, France
103. Aymeric Chauprade: Academic, France
104. Dr Ahmed El Sawy: Professor at the University of Cairo, Egypt
105. Yves Stalla Bourdillon: Philosopher and Writer, France
106. General Talaat Musalam: Director of Al Shaab newspaper, Egypt
107. Ronald Lafitte: Writer &political analyst, France
108. Mr Hussein Abdel Razak: Academic and Political Writer, Egypt
109. Mrs Siham Najm: General Secretary of Arabic Net for Adult Education, Egypt
110. Marisa Elguero: Lawyer, Spain
111. Abdel Atheem Munaf: President and Chief Editor of Al Mawkef Al Araby magazine &Al
Sawt Al Araby newspaper, Egypt
112. General Maurice Cannet, France
113. Alice Bsereni: Writer &political analyst, France
114. Dr Muhammad Musfir: Professor of Political Science at the University of Qatar, Qatar
115. Pierre Barneoud-Rousset: Retired lecturer, France
116. Nahed Hatar: Editor and Political Analyst of Arab Al Yayoum newspaper, Jordan
117. Jean-Loup-Izambert: Investigative Journalist and Writer, France
118. Ghaleb Fraijat: Academic, editor and Political analyst, Jordan
119. Dr Severine Balssa-Stittou: Professor of Political Sciences, France
120. Brahim Attalah: Chair of the Algerian Association, France
121. Nelson Chavez: Chair for the International Relationship of the 8th October Revolutionary Movement, Brazil
122. Szabó Erzsébet: Vice-President of Hungarian-Iraqi Historical Society, Hungry
123. Prince Armand de Merode: Chair of the Iraqi-Belgium Forum for Trade and Industry -FORBICI, Belgium
124. Niculae Pavelescu: Secretary of the Steering Committee of the Romanian Worker Party, Romania
125. Elisabeth Schneider: Member of PDS / Landes-und Kreisvorstand, Germany
126. Hadj Toua: Chairman of "Palestine against US Policies", USA
127. Graham Long: Language Teacher, Spain
128. Mrs Farida: Academic and Political writer, Egypt
129. Georges Labica: Professor Emeritus, France
130. Pierre-Alexandre Orsoni: President of "La Maison d’Orient a Marseille", France
131. Jean Picollec: Publisher, France
132. Susana Heikal: Language Teacher, Spain
133. Michel Collon: Journalist and writer, France
134. Paloma Velverdre: Civil Servant, Spain
135. Barbara Couso Permuy: Civil Servant, Spain
136. Jean-Pierre Bastid: Film Maker &Novelist, France
137. Marc Boureau d'Argonne: Film Producer, France
138. Jacques Borde: Journalist, France
139. Alice Bséréni: Writer, France
140. Pierre-Henri Bunel: Writer, France
141. Jean-Paul Cruse: Journalist, France
142. Alain de Benoist: Writer, France
143. Adid Dimitri Boulos: Writer, France
144. Abdulmagid Darhobi: Journalist, Lybia
145. Zein Houda: Journalist, France
146. Roland Laffitte, Writer, France
147. Madeleine Lafue-Véron: Writer, France
148. Christian Lançon: Journalist, France
149. Patricia Latour: Journalist, France
150. Pierre Lévy: Director of Bastille République Nation, France
151. Gaelle Mann:Writer, France
152. Hamida Na'ana: Writer, France
153. Abdelmajid Elamin Osman: Journalist, France
154. Pierre Pinta: Writer, France
155. Jallel Saada: Director of the magazine Regarder l’Afrique, France
156. Philippe de Saint Robert: Writer, France
157. Charles Saint- Prot: Writer, France
158. Mondher Sfar: Writer, France
159. Mohamed Soualmia: Poet &Writer, France
160. Jean-Claude Valla: Journalist, France
161. Robert Vial: Journalist, France
162. Khaleel Torabulsy: Film Maker, France
163. Giuseppe Zambon: Publisher, Germany)
164. Mohamed Zaroualete: Journalist, France.
165. Beatriz Morales: Translator, Spain
166. Safaa Al Sawy: Activist and Business woman, UK
167. Santiago Martin Fernandez: Administrator, Spain
168. Francois Avon: Former Regional Advisor-France/Iraq Brotherhood Association, France
169. Alain Basse: Petroleum Engineer, UK
170. Amèle Bahri: Computer Scientist, France
171. Manuela Barnéoud Rousset: Retired Social worker, France
172. Jean Beaudrillard: Retired Engineer, France
173. Marcel Beaulieu: Engineer, France
174. Henry Bittar: General Practitioner, France
175. Maurice Cannet - Géo Chéron: General Secretary of the International Committee for
Development and Cooperation – CIDEC, France
176. Sliman Doggui: Neurologist, France
177. Gérard Godfroy: Honorary General Secretary of Rennes’ International Trade Fair, France
178. Samira Messaoudene: Microbiologist, France
179. Narmi Michejda: Biochemist, Poland
180. Eric Prud'homme - Gérard Rouzade: Consultant in the Tourist Industry, France
181. Yannick Sauveur: School Headmaster, France
182. Michel Thibault: Librarian, France
Launched by George Galloway MP on Friday 18th March 2005
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