Pro-Israeli Muslim Languishes in Prison
By Dr Richard L Benkin
The face of Islam in the media tends to be uniform—uniformly uncompromising, anti-Israeli, and anti-Jewish. And while that portrayal is accurate for much of the Arab and Muslim world, we know that it is not the only one. There are quite a few Muslim leaders and groups who fight against that tide of hate and raise their voices on behalf of interfaith respect and understanding, and for peace. One of those courageous individuals is languishing in a Bangladesh prison for those views.
Throughout 2003, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury brought Bangladesh its first balanced news and information about the Middle East. He wrote emphatically about the need for dialogue and understanding among Jews, Muslims, and Christians, and strongly condemned terrorism and media bias against Israel and Jews. He urged his country to recognize Israel and warned of Islamic fundamentalism’s growing influence there. Choudhury published his country’s first interview with an Israeli, Dr. Ada Aharoni. He also helped this author publish articles inside Bangladesh about the Middle East and the role Bangladesh could play, sparking debate in both the press and halls of government. What Choudhury did not know was that sinister forces within Bangladesh were determined to stop him and the free exchange of ideas in his country.
On November 29, as he prepared to board a plane for an historic address in Israel, Choudhury was taken by police and held overnight. The next day, a magistrate ordered him remanded for "questioning." The pending charge: espionage, spying for "the interests of Israel against the interests of Bangladesh." Shortly thereafter, his press offices and home were raided, and police seized his computers, disks and other files. Through selective government leaks, innuendo and outright falsehoods, a public vilification program ensued variously accusing Choudhury of being a Mossad agent and a Muslim fundamentalist, a homosexual and a womanizer, a committed Zionist and an opportunist seeking personal gain. His family receives constant threats and pressure to renounce him and his stance. His brother and principal spokesman, Sohail Choudhury, has been attacked and twice had to flee the capital city of Dhaka. The police refused to record the attacks and reportedly chastised the Choudhurys for their "alliance with the Jews."
Choudhury was hauled before the court numerous times, and despite the lack of substantive charges and continued government assurances that there was no evidence to support any, he was continually returned to prison for ongoing interrogations by security forces, some of whom were associated with the nation’s fundamentalist movement. In March, things took a dangerous turn when Choudhury was charged with sedition, a capital offense, although no evidence for such a charge has ever been presented. And this courageous Muslim advocate of interfaith dialogue sits in a Dhaka jail cell, often under deplorable conditions, with deteriorating health, and facing possible death for his convictions.
But you can help.
A new web site has been launched: http://www.freechoudhury.com.
On the foregoing site, visitors can fight the injustice in a variety of ways: signing an online petition, sending letters of protest to Bangladesh leaders, sending letters asking for help from the US and the UN, and leaving messages of hope for Choudhury and his family. Please visit the site, and urge all human rights defenders to do the same. A world that allows such injustice while feigning outrage at the assassination of a mass murderer is sorely in need of good people to stand up for what is right. The more people who visit the site, the more prominent it will become among search engines, and the more difficult it will be for his captors to ignore the call for justice. Through the site, you can like to articles about this travesty, request a speaker for your organization or articles for your publication.
According to Choudhury's brother, he was "absolutely delighted" to learn of the web site and of its potential for galvanizing people in support of justice for him and for the values he supports. The site alone gave him strength to continue to fight for justice and against the forces of hate. Imagine what your voice could do as well.
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Dr Richard L Benkin - biographical notes
Richard Benkin chairs the international effort to free Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, with members on five continents. His articles on Israel and other current events have appeared in Israel Insider, IMRA, Israel Hasbara Committee, and various publications on several continents. Several articles expose deliberate efforts by Muslim authorities to destroy the Jewish religious and historical heritage under Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. He also published groundbreaking articles on Israel in the Bangladesh press. He received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, and served on several faculties at various campuses in the United States. During that time, he produced several professional papers and articles on ethnicity, Jewish history and culture, and his theory of social adaptations. He also published a sociology textbook.
Soon after that, Dr. Benkin left academia for greater activism in various communal and business adventures. Throughout these years, he published numerous commentaries and other articles on an array of social, political, and religious topics. He also published short stories. He is and has been actively involved in various Jewish groups and pro-Israeli activities, and has prominent roles on various listserves. He publishes extensively on those issues and has spoken before Jewish and Christian groups. His publications have been completed both on inspiration and on request.
He recently completed two book-length manuscripts. The Book of Miriam, retells the Exodus saga with Moses’ sister, Miriam as its leader. The Battle Beneath Jerusalem is a work of fiction that synthethizes his extensive research on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.
Action: Pro-Israeli Muslim languishes in Prison
REPOST
The piece below was posted about a week ago. Since then, the Choudhury petition has gained some steam, but not nearly what is needed. Please take 10 seconds to sign this vital petition! Click here to sign, or click on the "Free Choudhury" site to read more. But above all, please sign!
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Last December, I posted a statement by Prof. Palazzi concerning the incarceration of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, the pro-Israel journalist from Bangladesh. Four months have elapsed since then, and Choudhury is still languishing in jail.
The article below, contributed by Dr Richard L Benkin, is designed not merely to inform our readers, but also to request that action be taken.
Biographical notes concerning Dr Benkin are given at the article's end.
Pro-Israeli Muslim Languishes in Prison
By Dr Richard L Benkin
The face of Islam in the media tends to be uniform—uniformly uncompromising, anti-Israeli, and anti-Jewish. And while that portrayal is accurate for much of the Arab and Muslim world, we know that it is not the only one. There are quite a few Muslim leaders and groups who fight against that tide of hate and raise their voices on behalf of interfaith respect and understanding, and for peace. One of those courageous individuals is languishing in a Bangladesh prison for those views.
Throughout 2003, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury brought Bangladesh its first balanced news and information about the Middle East. He wrote emphatically about the need for dialogue and understanding among Jews, Muslims, and Christians, and strongly condemned terrorism and media bias against Israel and Jews. He urged his country to recognize Israel and warned of Islamic fundamentalism’s growing influence there. Choudhury published his country’s first interview with an Israeli, Dr. Ada Aharoni. He also helped this author publish articles inside Bangladesh about the Middle East and the role Bangladesh could play, sparking debate in both the press and halls of government. What Choudhury did not know was that sinister forces within Bangladesh were determined to stop him and the free exchange of ideas in his country.
On November 29, as he prepared to board a plane for an historic address in Israel, Choudhury was taken by police and held overnight. The next day, a magistrate ordered him remanded for "questioning." The pending charge: espionage, spying for "the interests of Israel against the interests of Bangladesh." Shortly thereafter, his press offices and home were raided, and police seized his computers, disks and other files. Through selective government leaks, innuendo and outright falsehoods, a public vilification program ensued variously accusing Choudhury of being a Mossad agent and a Muslim fundamentalist, a homosexual and a womanizer, a committed Zionist and an opportunist seeking personal gain. His family receives constant threats and pressure to renounce him and his stance. His brother and principal spokesman, Sohail Choudhury, has been attacked and twice had to flee the capital city of Dhaka. The police refused to record the attacks and reportedly chastised the Choudhurys for their "alliance with the Jews."
Choudhury was hauled before the court numerous times, and despite the lack of substantive charges and continued government assurances that there was no evidence to support any, he was continually returned to prison for ongoing interrogations by security forces, some of whom were associated with the nation’s fundamentalist movement. In March, things took a dangerous turn when Choudhury was charged with sedition, a capital offense, although no evidence for such a charge has ever been presented. And this courageous Muslim advocate of interfaith dialogue sits in a Dhaka jail cell, often under deplorable conditions, with deteriorating health, and facing possible death for his convictions.
But you can help.
A new web site has been launched: http://www.freechoudhury.com.
On the foregoing site, visitors can fight the injustice in a variety of ways: signing an online petition, sending letters of protest to Bangladesh leaders, sending letters asking for help from the US and the UN, and leaving messages of hope for Choudhury and his family. Please visit the site, and urge all human rights defenders to do the same. A world that allows such injustice while feigning outrage at the assassination of a mass murderer is sorely in need of good people to stand up for what is right. The more people who visit the site, the more prominent it will become among search engines, and the more difficult it will be for his captors to ignore the call for justice. Through the site, you can like to articles about this travesty, request a speaker for your organization or articles for your publication.
According to Choudhury's brother, he was "absolutely delighted" to learn of the web site and of its potential for galvanizing people in support of justice for him and for the values he supports. The site alone gave him strength to continue to fight for justice and against the forces of hate. Imagine what your voice could do as well.
----------------------
Dr Richard L Benkin - biographical notes
Richard Benkin chairs the international effort to free Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, with members on five continents. His articles on Israel and other current events have appeared in Israel Insider, IMRA, Israel Hasbara Committee, and various publications on several continents. Several articles expose deliberate efforts by Muslim authorities to destroy the Jewish religious and historical heritage under Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. He also published groundbreaking articles on Israel in the Bangladesh press. He received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, and served on several faculties at various campuses in the United States. During that time, he produced several professional papers and articles on ethnicity, Jewish history and culture, and his theory of social adaptations. He also published a sociology textbook.
Soon after that, Dr. Benkin left academia for greater activism in various communal and business adventures. Throughout these years, he published numerous commentaries and other articles on an array of social, political, and religious topics. He also published short stories. He is and has been actively involved in various Jewish groups and pro-Israeli activities, and has prominent roles on various listserves. He publishes extensively on those issues and has spoken before Jewish and Christian groups. His publications have been completed both on inspiration and on request.
He recently completed two book-length manuscripts. The Book of Miriam, retells the Exodus saga with Moses’ sister, Miriam as its leader. The Battle Beneath Jerusalem is a work of fiction that synthethizes his extensive research on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.
Posted by Joseph Alexander Norland at May 6, 2004 11:42 AM