European Parliament confronted with the case of al-Kubaysi

08/11/2004

A delegation of the "International Solidarity Conference with the Iraqi People in Struggle" and the French "Committee against the War In Iraq" visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg on October 26 and 27 in order to inform its members on the political prisoners in Iraq and especially of Abdulajabbar al-Kubaysi, who was kidnapped on last September 4 by American troops. Al-Kubaysi is the president of the "Iraqi Patriotic Alliance" and editor in chief of the magazine Nida al-Watan (call of the nation). [……]

Until now despite the attempts of the Red Cross it was neither possible to identify the unit responsible for his arrest, nor its reasons, nor the place of detention, let alone the conditions of his detention.

Al-Kubasi had been exiled in France for several years. Until now his wife and his children are without news as well as his relatives in Iraq despite several interventions at the occupation authorities. [……]

After having asked for meetings with all parliamentary groups the delegation was received by Mrs Gruber (Italy), Mrs Napolitano (Italy), Mr Agnoletto (Italy), Mr Brie (Germany), Mr Kohlicek (Czech Republic), Mr Meyer (Spain), Mr Pflueger (Germany), Mr Portas (Portugal) as well as the collaborators of Mrs De Keyser (Belgique) and Mrs Flautre (France). A dossier was lodged for Mr Brok, President of the Commission for Foreign Affairs, at the secretary of the European Popular Party. All these MPs are following the activities of the commission and its sub-commission on human rights and promised to intervene in order that the mentioned bodies take a position on the case of Al-Kubaysi and take action in favour of the prisoners of opinion in Iraq.

Extracts from the Press communiquà©
Strasbourg, October 27, 2004