Babu Gogineni asked that we post the following alert widely:


A Call To Arms!

Things are moving fast in the campaign for the liberation of Dr.
Shaikh, sentenced to death in Pakistan for blasphemy, after a
defective, and partly in-camera trial where the judge was constantly
intimidated by a mob of violent fundamentalist clergy.

( http://www.iheu.org/Shaikh/sentence.html ).

Two appeals have been filed on Dr. Shaikh's behalf, one by the family
and another by Human Rights activists. Now an inmate of the terrible
death cell, Dr. Shaikh is not even allowed to carry a pen with him,
and those who do not belong to his immediate family cannot visit him
anymore, officially. Thankfully, Abid Hasan Manto, Pakistan's well-
known and respected civil libertarian lawyer will argue Dr. Shaikh's
case without charging any fees. `It is my duty to defend Dr. Shaikh',
he said.


A team of dedicated Human Rights activists are working hard to
provide support for Dr. Shaikh in Pakistan, risking themselves in the
process. The influential `Friday Times' of Islamabad has carried an
extensive report on the case. On the IHEU's website you will find
statements from liberal Pakistani Muslims protesting the sentence.
The campaign in Pakistan too has started. Our colleagues in Pakistan
need help and support, and this can only be done by intensifying our
efforts internationally. There are hundreds who are victims of these
laws and we need to help.


Have you written to your senator? Did you contact your Prime
Minister? Will you remind them of the urgency of the matter? If your
organisation has Honorary Associates or a well known President, will
you ask them to issue a statement asking for the liberation of Dr.
Shaikh and the repeal of Blasphemy laws in Pakistan (which victimise
all religious minorities, specially Christians and Ahmadiyas), as
well as in other countries?


A sample of the press notices, statements and editorial comments from
well known personalities can be found on the IHEU website at
www.iheu.org/Shaikh Respected and influential newspapers like the
New York Times, The Daily Telegraph UK, The Guardian, The Times UK,
Norwegian Dagbladet, BBC, CNN, The Age, Melbourne, The Ottawa
Citizen, The Times Higher Education, the San Francisco Chronicle,
Newspapers in Peru and elsewhere, the mainstream Muslim media, as
well as smaller newspapers in various parts of the world have
reported on Dr. Shaikh's case and about IHEU's campaign. Human Rights
organisations world-wide are rallying together to defend Dr. Shaikh
and to protest Pakistan's barbaric blasphemy laws. Nobel laureate Sir
Harry Kroto and famous personalities like Richard Dawkins, Claire
Rayner, Terry Prachet have issued a statement. The Centre for Islam
in Europe (Belgium) and the Islamic Human Rights Commission too (UK)
have condemned the death sentence. IHEU's President Levi Fragell's
communication to Kofi Annan, UN's Secretary General has been handed
over personally; diplomatic parleys have been initiated by IHEU's
representatives with various governments, some details of which are
on the IHEU website. A meeting of diplomats from the EU countries has
been held in Islamabad. Efforts are on now for a group of diplomats
to visit Dr. Shaikh in prison. The French Freethinkers have called on
Members of the French legislature to take up the matter seriously.
Mr. Pannella, an Italian Member of European Parliament has asked
urgent questions of the European Commission as to action being taken
by the European Commission.


The campaign has kicked off! But we need to take it further, and we
need your help.


Protest demonstrations are being organised all over the world: for
reports and photos of events held in Birmingham UK, in Jallandhar,
India and Oslo, Norway, please check the website. A big demonstration
is being planned in London on 10 September in front of the Pakistan
High Commission. For details, send an e mail to London@...
Please tell others. Bring your friends: specially if they are liberal
Muslims (or from the Pakistani community) who are willing to
speak. `The Today' programme is expected to discuss the event on the
day. The Humanist Centre in Central London has set up a big display
on Dr. Shaikh and the blapshemy conviction: it is expected to attract
widepsread attention. More demonstrations are being planned: in
Khatmandu and in Washington; in Los Angeles and in Ottawa; in New
Delhi and in Paris. Can you help? Will you join us? Do you know who
might join? Can you forward this e mail to other Human Rights groups
and ask them to join? Please let us know. Always copy your
communications to campaign@... which is the central coordination
point for the international campaign.


If there is no Pakistan High Commission or Consulate in your city,
there may be an aid agency which supports the Pakistan government
which could be the venue of your peaceful demonstration. It can also
be in front of your country's foreign ministry demanding action from
your government to urgently intervene. Or you could organise a press
conference expressing your disgust at the judgement and your
solidarity with Dr. Shaikh.


Hundreds of letters are pouring in at the IHEU office about Dr.
Shaikh's case, but have you signed the on-line Petition at
http://www.iheu.org/Shaikh/petition/index.html which will be used to
lobby governments and diplomats? Please do so. On the website it is
possible to register to receive regular updates via the International
Humanist News. Please do sign up to receive this crucial campaign
tool.


On the IHEU website a Special Section RESOURCES FOR CAMPAIGNERS with
information and special materials for campaign work has been
developed. DRAMATIC PICTURES of Dr. Shaikh before his sentence can be
found at http://www.iheu.org/Shaikh/pic15724.jpg or
http://www.iheu.org/shaikh/Dr%20Sheikh%202.jpg . One of the LETTERS
Dr. Shaikh wrote the IHEU Executive Director Babu Gogineni from
prison as regards the campaign can be found at
http://www.iheu.org/Shaikh/letter.htm . If you are organising a Press
meet or sending out press material for your demonstration, a MODEL
PRESS RELEASE is available for you to use, making necessary changes
to suit your regional requirements and updating with the latest news
http://www.iheu.org/Shaikh/resources/modelpress.htm If you are
looking for the nearest Pakistan High Commission or Consulate
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/pakistan1.htm If reproducing
information and news from IHEU newsletter or website in your
Electronic News Bulletins, websites or magazines, kindly acknowledge
source and please d give the campaign@... address.

Dr. Shaikh helped the poor and disadvantaged in his country when he
could. Now it is our turn to come to his defence! Please let us not
fail him.


Can we do it? Yes, It has happened in the past that people have been
allowed to leave their countries following an international outcry
and diplomatic intervention.


Let us therefore intensify the campaign, and also help humanise the
Blasphemy law in Pakistan!



Alan Levin
Director Internet Services
Institute for Humanist Services