10,000 people in Britain, among them civil rights activists, have signed a petition for the release of Sheikh Raed Salah, the most influential Palestinian political leader in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This petition, which has been signed by 10,000 in just a week, is to be handed in to the British Home Secretary, Theresa May, on Friday 8 July 2011 at 10:30 am.
Sheikh Raed Salah, who is known for his peaceful civil rights activities in the Occupied Territories, was invited by the Middle East Monitor to deliver a few peaceful lectures when he was arrested at the hotel where he stayed in London.
Director of the Middle East Monitor, Dr Daud Abdullah, said: “Sheikh Raed’s detention is farcical whilst the Home Secretary continues to allow suspected war criminals into the country without restriction. Sheikh Raed should be released immediately so he can clear his name of all allegations.”
The petition has called for the release of Sheikh Raed Salah and has asked the Home Secretary to recognize him as a human rights activist and drop the deportation charges.
The head of Islamic Human Rights Commission in London condemned Sheikh Salah’s arrest and asserted that Salah is a reputable civil rights activist who leads the Islamic Movement in the Occupied Territories.
The British government has allegedly accused Salah of anti-Semitism and is about to deport Salah from Britain. However, civil rights activists have called on the Home Secretary to allow Salah to challenge these accusations.
