The Second Exile of Amer Jubran

By Susan Schwartz,. TMO

Amer Jubran with Rabbis of the Neturei Karta

Amer Jubran, a long time activist who has worked tirelessly for Palestinian freedom and against the war in Iraq, was arrested on May 5th in Jordan by that nation’s secret police. He was taken from his home in the middle of the night and is being held in an undisclosed location. No one in his family or circle of friends has been told of his whereabouts nor have they been permitted even indirect contact. Further, Mr Jubran has been denied legal counsel by the government of Jordan.

There is little doubt that Jordan has acted at the behest of the United States and Israel.

Mr. Jubran was a resident of the United States for 18 years and lived in the Boston area. There he organized demonstrations and was an outspoken and effective activist through his organization, the New England Committee to Defend Palestine (NECDP).

He first came to the attention of the FBI and the INS in 2001 when he organized a successful counter demonstration to protest an Israel Day Celebration which took place in Brookline, Massachusetts.. Two years later, when NECDP staged a peaceful demonstration on the streets of Boston for Palestinian freedom, Mr. Jubran was arrested on trumped up charges and threatened with deportation. After a prolonged waiting period Mr. Jubran declined to testify, fearing the consequences for members of his community, and accepted deportation to Jordan. One of the unfortunate consequences of being a successful activist is that this success brings you to the attention of the government.

Like every Palestinian he had truly been deprived of his homeland once. This was the second blow. Mr Jubran, while in his second exile, has contributed extensively to online publications always presenting defiant, fact filled, and articulate arguments for his cause.

Mr. Jubran’s Defense Campaign has urged concerned citizens to make telephone calls and send faxes to the government of Jordan. Mr. Jubran’s Defense Campaign has also provided a sample letter which may be used as a template.

Readers are asked to send an email to the following address to let Mr. Jubran’s Defense Committee know if they have successfully reached a government official and, if so, how that official has replied: defensecampaign@openmailbox.org

The relevant information for contact is given below.

1) Jordanian Ministry of Interior

Fax number (from the United States): 011-962-6-5332078
For a printable fax in English and Arabic, click here: http://bit.ly/1iE3Uo3

2) Jordanian Embassy in Washington DC

Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Telephone number:
(202) 966 – 2664
Fax number:
(202) 966 – 3110

*Sample letter

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my outrage at the recent arrest of Amer Jubran. Mr. Jubran was detained by Jordanian authorities on May 5. He has not been charged with any crime or given access to a lawyer. Why is he still being held?

Since Mr. Jubran is a well-known Palestinian activist and voice of dissent, it’s impossible to see his arrest as anything other than an attempt to silence him.

Freedom of speech is an internationally recognized human right. Respect Mr. Jubran’s basic rights and release him immediately.

Sincerely,

16-21