Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action required
4. Sample letter
1. Summary
Sayyed Ahmad Saeed Shams, a fifteen year old child, was playing football wearing a Manchester United jersey when he was shot dead by Bahraini security services on 30th March 2011. This killing took place outside his Ahmad was gunned down while playing football outside his house home in the village of Sa’ar, Bahrain.
IHRC urges all campaigners to write letters to Turkish Airlines, Manchester United Club’s sponsors, urging them to encourage the team to organise a minute’s silence to remember their fan Sayyed Ahmad Saeed Shams who was a victim of the brutality of the Bahraini regime.
2. Background
Ahmad had been playing football, wearing a Manchester United jersey, outside his home in the village of Sa’ar when security forces and military personnel ruthlessly gunned him down. There had been fourteen security forces’ cars spread throughout the village.
His father told IHRC that his son was killed in a very narrow passage. Security men intentionally had gone there and shot him with a rubber bullet in his eye and hit him with the pistol grip on his neck, causing a break in the neck. The father also said, “I picked him up and I could hear him breathing in pain. He took his last breath and then he did not breathe again. He died in my arms”.
His mother said: “He was a normal boy. We want these brutal killings in Bahrain to end.”
Ahmad’s body was taken to the hospital but the hospital authorities did not write the actual cause of the boy’s death for fear of repression from the regime.
This tragic killing is indicative of the violent suppression that the Bahraini government has sunk to in order to deny its citizens basic rights. Here this is further evidenced by the fact that it has not acknowledged the brutality of its actions to the extent that it does not even feel the need to begin an inquiry to bring the perpetrators to justice.
IHRC urges all campaigners to write letters to the Dr. Temel Kotil, General Manager of the Turkish Airlines and Mr. Hamdi Topçu, Chairman of Turkish Airlines asking them to encourage Manchester United team which they sponsor to organise a minute silence on the fortieth day after the killing of Ahmad before the kick off on Sunday 8th May at Old Trafford. It will give the family of this boy some comfort that there are people out there who will remember their son through the bond of football and a common humanity.
3. Action required
Write letters to the Dr. Temel Kotil, President and CEO of the Turkish Airlines and Mr. Hamdi Topçu, Chairman of Turkish Airlines, asking them to encourage Manchester United team which they sponsor to organise a minute silence on the fortieth day after the killing of Ahmad before the kick off on Sunday 8th May at Old Trafford.
4. Sample letter
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A sample letter is given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters. It is preferable that letters be sent via post, or otherwise by fax and/or email.
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a) Letter to Dr. Temel Kotil, President and CEO of Turkish Airlines,
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
Dr.Temel Kotil,
President and CEO of Turkish Airlines,
Turkish Airlines General Management Building Ataturk Airport,
Yesilkoy 34149
Istanbul, Turkey
Phone: +90 212 463 63 63
Fax: +90 212 465 21 21
Dear Dr. Kotil,
Re: One minute’s silence before the Chelsea match to remember Ahmad
On 30th March 2011, a fifteen year old boy was shot dead by security forces in Bahrain. His name was Sayyed Ahmad Saeed Shams, and had been playing football outside his home in the village of Sa’ar when security forces and military personnel ruthlessly gunned him down.
Ahmad was unarmed, and did nothing to provoke such a brutal and lethal response. He died not only as an innocent Bahraini teenager, but also as a typical young football fan wearing a Manchester United jersey.
Images of the young boy lying dead in the Manchester United shirt have provoked massive sorrow in Bahrain during what is an immensely important juncture in the country’s future. The harrowing images have become a symbol of the aspirations of freedom which the Arab peoples wish to achieve.
Turkey is known to be a leading country in supporting human rights and its people are also known for their humanitarian stances. I would appreciate if you as the CEO and President of the club’s sponsor, Turkish Airlines, could encourage Manchester United to organise a minute’s silence at Old Trafford before the kick off on Sunday, 8th May between Manchester United and Chelsea. The club has a good record of organising a minute’s silence to commemorate tragedies which affect both Manchester United fans, and humanity as a whole. The use of this influence by yourself will enhance the international image of this airline as one which cares for children irrespective of where they live in the world and what religion they choose to follow.
Ahmad’s family and people around the world would welcome this gesture from the club as an indication of its commitment to promoting the game of football as a way towards peace, coexistence and dialogue. Your role would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your time, and we look forward to your response on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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b) Letter to Mr. Hamdi Topçu, Chairman of Turkish Airlines,
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
Hamdi Topçu,
Chairman of Turkish Airlines,
Turkish Airlines General Management Building Ataturk Airport,
Yesilkoy 34149
Istanbul, Turkey
Phone: +90 212 463 63 63
Fax: +90 212 465 21 21
Dear Mr Topçu,
Re: One minute silence before the Chelsea match to remember Ahmad
On 30th March 2011, a fifteen year old boy was shot dead by security forces in Bahrain. His name was Sayyed Ahmad Saeed Shams, and had been playing football outside his home in the village of Sa’ar when security forces and military personnel ruthlessly gunned him down.
Ahmad was unarmed, and did nothing to provoke such a brutal and lethal response. He died not only as an innocent Bahraini teenager, but also as a typical young football fan wearing a Manchester United jersey.
Images of the young boy lying dead in the Manchester United shirt have provoked massive sorrow in Bahrain and the Arab world, during what is an immensely important juncture in the region’s future. The harrowing images have become a symbol of the aspirations of freedom which the Arab peoples wish to achieve.
Turkey is known to be a leading country in supporting human rights and its people are also known for their humanitarian stances. I would appreciate if you as the Chairman of the club’s sponsor, Turkish Airlines, could encourage Manchester United which you fund to organise a minute’s silence at Old Trafford before the kick off on Sunday, 8th May between Manchester United and Chelsea. The club has a good record of organising minute’s silence to commemorate tragedies which affect both Manchester United fans, and humanity as a whole. The use of this influence by yourself will enhance the international image of this airline as one which cares for children irrespective of where they live in the world and what religion they choose to follow.
Ahmad’s family, I, the Arab and Muslim world more broadly would welcome this gesture from the club as an indication of its commitment to promoting the game of football as a way towards peace, coexistence and dialogue. Your role would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
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