[liberationtech] Fellow Stanford student needs help to prevent father facing unfair imprisonment

[Yosem Companys]

From: Nabila Abdallah <nabilaa at stanford.edu>

Please give this issue your consideration.

A friend at Stanford, Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi, and his family have been dealt
a huge blow after his father was sentenced to three years in prison for
sending money to his family in Iraq, including Salahodeen's ailing
grandmother.

Please read Salahodeen's email below and support him and his family by
signing these petitions.

http://wh.gov/teT - This petition can really have some impact considering
that if it reaches 25,000 signatures in 30 days, it is guaranteed to be
reviewed by the White House.
https://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-commute-the-36-month-sentence-of-dr-shakir-hamoodi

From: Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi <ssav47 at stanford.edu>

 Salamu’alaikum fellow ISSU community members,****

** **

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi, I’ve
had a wonderful 4 years here at Stanford and as part of this exceptional
community. Before I start, I wanted to thank you all for making my time
here so enjoyable, and I want to add that this community will always have a
very special place in my heart.****

** **

I’m reaching out to you today because I need your help. My father has been
an integral part of my identity throughout my life. Some of you may have
met him in 2010, when he came to campus to give a lecture during the
MSAN-ISSU IAS series. In my hometown of Columbia, MO, he was well known
because of the efforts that he led to bring interfaith to all communities
and religions. In his role as the outreach coordinator for the Masjid in
Columbia, my dad visited hundreds of churches, synagogues, and other places
of worship to bridge the gap between faiths, especially after the 9-11
attacks. ****

** **

Unfortunately, my father has recently been sentenced to 36 months in prison
for the crime of sending money to his family in Iraq during the UN
sanctions from 1991-2003 (
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/may/17/business-owner-sentenced-sending-funds-iraq/).
Sadly, this was a federal case, since sending money to Iraq was made
illegal via a little-known presidential decree by Bush Sr. Because of that,
we have very few options on the table in terms of appealing the case.
However, we are trying to notify as many people as possible and circulate a
petition to President Obama to commute his sentence. Currently, there is a
facebook support page (http://www.facebook.com/ShakirHamoodi?ref=ts) and a
change.org petition (
https://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-commute-the-36-month-sentence-of-dr-shakir-hamoodi)
that you can sign. I appreciate any help you can provide for us- it really
means the world to me. You can email me at ssav47 at stanford.edu if you want
more information or if you have a suggestion about what we should do.****

** **

Thank you for your help!****

** **

Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi ****

** **

PS: More information about this case can be found in the following
articles: ****

** **

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/may/23/hamoodi-supporters-seek-sentence-commutation/
****

** **

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/may/25/good-american-should-remain-free/
****

** **

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/05/24/guest-commentary-show-support-shakir-hamoodi/
****
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