Appeal court for Al-Moayed and Zayed [Archives:2007/1100/Front Page]
Amel Al-Ariqi
SANA'A, Nov, 4 ) U.S. authorities have set Nov. 26, 2007, as the first appeal session date for sheikh Mohammad al-Moayed and his companion Mohammad Zayed, who have been detained in a U.S. prison since 2004.
The Islah party website alsahwa-yemen.net quoted a source in the committee in charge of defending al-Moayed and Zayed as saying al-Moayyad,78 years old, and Zaid, 35, will not attend the court, but mentioned that American defense lawyers and Yemeni lawyer Mohammad Naji Alaw will attend for arguments.
Media sources stated that defense attorney Alaw, who has been in the U.S. for three months, will visit sheikh Al-Moayed and Zayed.
According to lawyer Khaled Al-Ansi, executive director of the National Organization for Rights and Freedoms (HOOD) the defense committee will focus on refuting the judicial measures that were used in the first trail, such as evidence. It will also discuss the jurisdiction of the American Justice Authority handling the case. “The committee will work to cancel the previous verdict and demand their release,” declared Al-Ansi.
Zayed, and Al Moayed, were both arrested January 2003 in Germany.
They were turned over to the U.S. after the German government approved extradition under approval by the German Federal Constitutional Court on November 13, 2003.
The U.S. accused them of having connections with members of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic-Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.
On July 28, 2005, a Brooklyn, N.Y., court sentenced Al-Moayed to 75 years in prison and fined him $1.25 million, whereas Zayed faces more than 30 years for his role in the conspiracy, according to the court.
Since that time, Zayed and Al-Moayed have sent letters complaining of mistreatment while in U.S. custody, urging official pressure by Yemen's government to secure their release.
The two detainees have exposed in letters to their relatives in Yemen that they were subjected to mistreatment and abuse by the U.S. military.
They complained that they have experienced inhumane treatment by the prison's guards, adding in the letters that they were deprived of leaving for sports like their fellow prisoners. They also confirmed that they were banned from using telephones, purchasing anything from the shop for a period of forty-five days, and using dishes for eating.
However, according to alsahwa-yemen.net, the U.S lawyer confirmed that the U.S. military has canceled administrative procedures known as “Sam”. The punishment of “Sam” is that prisoners' legs and arms are chained at all times, even when visitors are present. According to the punishment the prisoners are not allowed to associate with other prisoners, and unlike other prisoners, they are not permitted to hold meetings. Moreover, they aren't allowed newspapers and magazines of their choosing.
——
[archive-e:1100-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-11-05-p:front]
