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Supporters Rally and Tell President Obama: Palestinian American Activist Rasmea Odeh is Innocent
Social justice, immigrant rights, and liberties for all women are what America fights for. Yet, the U.S. government is currently putting a Palestinian American woman and long-time social activist and advocate, Rasmea Odeh, on trial for procuring her citizenship unlawfully by allegedly omitting an answer on her citizenship application 10 years ago. Fittingly, the contentious trial began at the Sixth Circuit Federal Court of the eastern district of Michigan on November 4, 2014, Election Day. Depending on the judge’s decision, Odeh may face up to 10 years in prison, revocation of her U.S. citizenship and possible deportation.
Odeh’s story begins in the early morning hours of October 22, 2013, when Homeland Security agents arrested the 67-year old women at her home in the suburbs of Chicago. Her custody is believed to be politically motivated in order to disrupt the Chicago Palestine human rights community, reports Angela Davis with The Detroit News.
She has worked for over a decade with the Chicago-based Arab American Action Network, an advocacy and social service agency, supervising programs and coordinating its Arab Women’s Committee, a 600-member group that actively defends civil liberties and immigrant rights. Hundreds of human right activists from across the country see this as an obstruction of social and civil justice, and plan to crowd the courtroom daily by rallying outside the courthouse before the adjournment at 8-8:20 a.m. and after at 1 p.m.
This case is a turning point regarding Arab American activism. Hatem Abudayyeh, Executive Director, Arab American Action Network and spokesperson for the Rasmea Defense Committee told us why so many Arab Americans and Americans in general are passionate about seeking Rasmea’s innocence. “Supporters in Detroit, the Arab and black communities have shown support, but we only have four days to convey her innocence. The more from Detroit and Dearborn we can get to show their support, the better.”
“This is a unique case for two reasons, one she became a lawful permanent resident 20 years ago, has been a citizen for 10 years, and she testified to being tortured and raped by in 1969 when she got out of prison in 1979. She testified to the world. This is just a pretext to another prominate Palestinian leader coming under attack because of her 50 years of activism of policy and rights, and sanctions to put Israel on trial…Over 2,000 Palestinians were recently killed. The public relations front across the world showed the crimes against Palestine. Latin Americans and other countries have protested Israel’s actions. Israel is on the rope and the occupation is now known for the criminal crimes it is. Yet the United States still supports Israel, and those who defense Palestinians come under fire,” Abudayyeh stated.
“It is disingenuous to say the American government didn’t know about (Rasmea being held in an Israeli prison) and to make her relive this,” he emphasized on this federal intimidation.
Over 120 women and feminists signed a letter sent to President Obama demanding these charges be dropped and stressing justice for torture survivors. Rasmea’s work with the 600-member strong Arab Women’s Committee, part of the Arab American Action Network, has been at the forefront at a lot of social justice movements beyond Arab rights, including racial rights, women’s rights issues. Recently she spoke out against apartheid system and its violation of international laws.
The media advisory published by the American Action Network detailed that for the past year, Rasmea’s defense committee has built a nationwide network of supporters who have worked hard to raise awareness about the political and unjust nature of the case. “We have a lot of support. Over 50 organizations have acknowledged their support. Attorney General Holder has demanded the charges be dropped. Our power is coming from the people,” Abudayyeh exclaimed.
Rasmea’s public supporters are confident her case is strong enough to combat this accusation. “We believe we have the best lawyers in the country who have done political oppression cases such as this one. We’re not conceding anything. We have made this a referendum on Israel and military courts…If convicted, she will be able to appeal,” foretells Abudayyeh.
Andrew Dalack, Co-Chair of the Palestine Sub Committee for the National Lawyers Guild, and recent law school graduate, supports the notion that Rasmea’s case has great precedence. “Arab Americans are often subject to political prosecution for their activism, and Rasmea’s prosecution is a good example. The charge that Rasmean lied on her naturalization application is nothing more than a pretext. The government is likely going after her because she is prominent in the community and shows an unwavering commitment to achieving Palestinian self-determination.”
If Rasmea is found guilty, her maximum sentencing is serious. “The maximum allowable sentence is ten years in prison, the possibility of deportation, and a $250,000 fine. Assuming she gets convicted, however, she will be able to appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals as a matter of right.”
“The biggest thing that everyone across the country can do is call your local representatives, write op-eds, and make noise in your own communities. The implications of Rasmea’s prosecution cannot be overstated. There are other activists such as Rasmea who have been naturalized US citizens and struggle for Palestinian self-determination, and they can become the government’s target without a moment’s notice. As a community, we need to look within, gather our strength, and mobilize to make it more difficult for the government to single any one of us out,” concluded Dalack.
The trial is expected to last two or three weeks. Judge Drain has already made pre-trial rulings that he would disallow testimony on any torture that Rasmea endured. “It is a complicated legal concept. Unlawfully procuring naturalization was a specific crime to prove that she answered the questions falsely but as well as to gain citizenship lawfully. The judge reversed his decision, which means Rasmea is no longer allowed to share her chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. This will also shorten the length of the case. He will, though, allow evidence from the Israelis on their allegation of the bombing, from the military tribunal that originally sentenced Rasmea to the Israeli prison. We should never share that level of evidence in a U.S. court,” Abudayyeh described.
“It is a very damaging decision,” Dalack explained in regards to the judge’s pre-trial rulings not to allow an expert to discuss Rasmea’s chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. “The torture expert would have been able to explain how the torture she suffered at the hands of the Israeli military may have affected her ability to form the culpable mental state to lie, assuming that she did lie. However, there are some positive aspects of the judge’s ruling. Judge Drain himself recognized that Rasmea’s claims that the Israelis tortured her were ‘credible’ and I think that this is a sign to the defense team that he is willing to take this information into account at sentencing if Rasmea is ultimately convicted.”
For more information on Rasmea Odeh’s case, visit http://www.uspcn.org and http://www.stopfbi.net.
Rachel Partain
Arab America