[Prishtina-E] RELEASE THE PRISONERS NOW!

[kosova at jps.net]

List Members,

Join the efforts to release the remaining Albanian Political Prisoners from
Serbia.  Their cruel and unjust detainment must finally come to an end.
Consistent pressure since November of 1999 has aided in the release of many
prisoners.  There are approximately 500 remaining.  ONE soul is too much;
500 is outright disturbing and morally WRONG.

Let's not let these lives deteriorate in prison.  Encourage others to sign
the petition online at: http://www.khao.org/appkosova/app_online.htm or
visit http://www.kosova-info-line.de/APP/ to contribute to the email action
campaign.  If nothing else, please forward this message onto others.

RELEASE THE PRISONERS NOW!

Additional information on the prisoners may be found at:
http://www.khao.org/appkosova.htm

This mail is part of an E-MAIL-ACTION:
RELEASE THE PRISONERS NOW !
TË LIROHEN MENJËHERË TË BURGOSURIT!
LASST JETZT DIE GEFANGENEN FREI !
ODMAH OSLOBODITE ZATVORENIKE !
http://www.kosova-info-line.de/APP/
mailto:beineke at kosova-info-line.de

======================================

Association of Political Prisoners - A-PAL : URGENT!
March 11, 2001

A-PAL REQUEST FOR HELP: ACT NOW!!!!

To our relief and delight, one hundred and fifty Albanian prisoners were
released this weekend from Serbian prisons. However approximately five
hundred were left behind, not included so far in the Amnesty Law. The
Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade has a recommendation for the process
they suggest for the remaining prisoners.

We need your help in emailing European, UN, and US organizations and leaders
urging them to immediately take a position supporting this recommendation.
If you know of any human rights organizations who can help, email them too.
Below is a suggested letter. Please adapt it or use it in any way you feel
is necessary. But don't delay!

************************************

March 11, 2001
Dear _____________________ ,

By this weekend, one hundred and fifty ethnic Albanian prisoners have been
allowed to go home, following the enactment of the FRY Amnesty Law.
Thousands of relatives and friends welcomed them back in joyous reunions in
Kosova.

However, to date, five hundred Albanian prisoners still remain in Serbian
prisons. Supposedly, these cases will be subjected to a judicial review. The
Humanitarian Law Center in Belgrade has stated on March 7, that Yugoslavia
have without reason denied amnesty to 250 remaining Albanians, many of whom
are still undergoing trials. In addition, the 143 members of the Gjakova
group have yet to be pardoned. Nine prisoners were recommended for
humanitarian release due to untreated injuries suffered at the Dubrava
massacre in May, 1999. Some others are up for parole.

We urge you to support the HLC recommendation that "the defects in the
Amnesty Law be rectified by scheduling an early session of the Serbian
Supreme Court" at which the appeals, pardons, paroles and dismissals could
be resolved at once, and that outside observers from human rights groups,
OSCE, the UN and embassies observe these proceedings.

Sincerely,
##
_________________________
At the UN--email for a meeting on Kosova on March 16, 2001:

1. USA at usaun at undp.org
2. UK at uk at un.it
3. Ukraine at ukrun at undp.org
4. Russian Fed. rusun at un.int
5. Malaysia mysun at undp.org
6. Netherlands netherlands at un.int
7. France france at un.int
8. China chinun at undp.org
9. Canada canada at un.int

The primary function of the security council is to maintain peace and
security in accordance with the principles of the U.N.  These include the
Geneva Conventions. The prisoner issue IS a violation of the Geneva
Conventions No. 3 and No. 4. All parties here are co-signers, and are
therefore responsible for the welfare of the prisoners:

EU
Javier Solana Tony Blair: gbrun at undp.org
Council Secretariat OSCE Secretariat: info at osce.org
Rue de la Loi 1715 Jaques Chirac-fraun at undp.org
Brussels B1048 Colin Powell-secretary at state.gov
Belgium US Senate For. Affairs--Sen. Wellstone, Helms, Biden, Lieberman

US CSCE Committee-Chairmen Sen Nighthorse, Rep. Chris Smith:
bob.hand at mail.house.gov
OSCE/State Dept: odlumGX at state.gov
Sweden Foreign Affairs Minister - Lady Gun-Britt Andersson:
gun-britt.andersson at foreign.ministry.se
OSCE Secretary: info at osce.org
Amnesty International: amnestyis at amnesty.org

======================================
EP members active in the prisoner campaign
A. Bart Staes: b.staes at europarl.eu.int
A. Oostlander: a.oostlander at europarl.eu.int
B. Emma Bonino: e.bonino at agora.stm.it
C. Olivier Dupuis: o.dupuis at agora.stm.it
D. Peter Walsh: pwa at gofree.indigo.ie

<<END>>