Help get the word out.
My friend is hoping to get the word out about her dad's trial. If you know of media contacts or have any way of getting the information out, please help her out. She and I were close friends at school. She was a studious hard worker who helped me get through some of my classes. I don't recall having ever met her father, but I have met her mother, sister and younger brother and they are a close-knit family. For her (and her dad's) sake, please distribute this and please get the word out to help her dad get released!
§ PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY §
LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADER MOST RECENT VICTIM
OF U.S. WAR ON TERROR POLICIES
Please Attend Sentencing Hearing on October 14 at 9:00 AM
For Planning Purposes: October 7, 2008
Contact: Nina Farnia (323) 919-9109, nfarnia@hotmail.com
Civil Liberties Defense Initiative (student-led initiative at UCLA School of Law)
LOS ANGELES - In a gross miscarriage of justice, a leader in Southern California's Iranian American community faces denaturalization and up to 9 years in prison. On April 24, 2008, Seyed Mousavi - father of two UCLA students - was convicted of filing false tax returns, omitting group membership on naturalization forms, and violating the U.S.'s economic embargo against Iran. His sentencing hearing is on Tuesday, October 14. Substantial evidence has been uncovered supporting a motion for retrial. To that end, at Tuesday's sentencing hearing Mousavi will present evidence of his innocence. From community members to concerned law students, there has been an outpouring of community support for Mousavi in what has become an extremely politicized trial.
For the last 20 years, Mousavi has been a major contributor to the well-being of the Muslim community in Southern California. He is the founder of Al-Nabi Mosque in West Covina and a non-profit organization that has built bridges across religious divides. Under Mousavi's leadership, Al-Nabi Mosque has been groundbreaking in developing English curriculum for recent immigrants, recognizing the unique issues facing American-Muslim youth, and preaching the virtue of inclusion and acceptance. In addition to teaching in the school, Mousavi serves as a mentor for youth. More than 100 community members have written letters in Mousavi's defense. Those who have known him as a friend, colleague, and mentor describe him as having changed their lives.
Though not charged with or convicted of acts of terrorism, the prosecution has painted Mousavi with the broad brush of "terrorist." The government claims that Mousavi broke the embargo with Iran, and is demanding a sentence of up to 9 years primarily because of this charge. Mousavi is alleged to have engaged in a consulting contract with a Kuwaiti company to bring cellular telephone networks to Iran. However, the sentence recommended by the government far exceeds what they have uniformly agreed to even for corporations which provided overtly military related products. As a result, this is a case of selective prosecution. The U.S. government invoked unsubstantiated assertions, xenophobia and "secret evidence" of terrorism early-on in the case. The government also claims Mousavi was a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, though both the government of Iran and several experts deny this. The government claims that because Mousavi failed to disclose this and other alleged affiliations on his immigration documents, his American citizenship should be revoked. However, experts have disputed the charge of omission, stating that none of Mousavi's alleged affiliations would be considered "memberships" of a nature that requires disclosure on immigration applications.
On Tuesdday, October 14, the courtroom will be overflowing with support for Mr. Mousavi. Media is urged to attend.
What: Mousavi Sentencing Hearing
When: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 9:00AM
Where: U.S. District Court Building
Courtroom 15 (Judge Anderson)
312 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA
For more information on Mousavi's case, including court filings, letters of support and the online petition, please visit www.freeseyedmousavi.com.
§ PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY § PRESS ADVISORY §
LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADER MOST RECENT VICTIM
OF U.S. WAR ON TERROR POLICIES
Please Attend Sentencing Hearing on October 14 at 9:00 AM
For Planning Purposes: October 7, 2008
Contact: Nina Farnia (323) 919-9109, nfarnia@hotmail.com
Civil Liberties Defense Initiative (student-led initiative at UCLA School of Law)
LOS ANGELES - In a gross miscarriage of justice, a leader in Southern California's Iranian American community faces denaturalization and up to 9 years in prison. On April 24, 2008, Seyed Mousavi - father of two UCLA students - was convicted of filing false tax returns, omitting group membership on naturalization forms, and violating the U.S.'s economic embargo against Iran. His sentencing hearing is on Tuesday, October 14. Substantial evidence has been uncovered supporting a motion for retrial. To that end, at Tuesday's sentencing hearing Mousavi will present evidence of his innocence. From community members to concerned law students, there has been an outpouring of community support for Mousavi in what has become an extremely politicized trial.
For the last 20 years, Mousavi has been a major contributor to the well-being of the Muslim community in Southern California. He is the founder of Al-Nabi Mosque in West Covina and a non-profit organization that has built bridges across religious divides. Under Mousavi's leadership, Al-Nabi Mosque has been groundbreaking in developing English curriculum for recent immigrants, recognizing the unique issues facing American-Muslim youth, and preaching the virtue of inclusion and acceptance. In addition to teaching in the school, Mousavi serves as a mentor for youth. More than 100 community members have written letters in Mousavi's defense. Those who have known him as a friend, colleague, and mentor describe him as having changed their lives.
Though not charged with or convicted of acts of terrorism, the prosecution has painted Mousavi with the broad brush of "terrorist." The government claims that Mousavi broke the embargo with Iran, and is demanding a sentence of up to 9 years primarily because of this charge. Mousavi is alleged to have engaged in a consulting contract with a Kuwaiti company to bring cellular telephone networks to Iran. However, the sentence recommended by the government far exceeds what they have uniformly agreed to even for corporations which provided overtly military related products. As a result, this is a case of selective prosecution. The U.S. government invoked unsubstantiated assertions, xenophobia and "secret evidence" of terrorism early-on in the case. The government also claims Mousavi was a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, though both the government of Iran and several experts deny this. The government claims that because Mousavi failed to disclose this and other alleged affiliations on his immigration documents, his American citizenship should be revoked. However, experts have disputed the charge of omission, stating that none of Mousavi's alleged affiliations would be considered "memberships" of a nature that requires disclosure on immigration applications.
On Tuesdday, October 14, the courtroom will be overflowing with support for Mr. Mousavi. Media is urged to attend.
What: Mousavi Sentencing Hearing
When: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 9:00AM
Where: U.S. District Court Building
Courtroom 15 (Judge Anderson)
312 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA
For more information on Mousavi's case, including court filings, letters of support and the online petition, please visit www.freeseyedmousavi.com.