Sabri Benkahla U.S

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Portraits of Injustice A Campaign for Justice from the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms Sabri Benkahla U.S. citizen; graduate student; father; resident of northern Virginia Convicted of perjury after being acquitted of the criminal charge. Is it fair to try someone twice on the same issue? On the night before his wedding in 2003, Sabri was abducted at gunpoint by the Saudi Arabian secret police, arrested, transferred to FBI custody, held incommunicado, and renditioned back to the U.S. to stand trial with eleven other individuals for the so-called Virginia Paintball Conspiracy. Sabri was acquitted of the criminal charges in 2004 by Judge Leonie Brinkema, but he was then called before a grand jury and asked questions about the very matters for which he had just been acquitted. When the prosecutor disagreed with his answers, he charged Sabri with perjury; Sabri was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison, even though the sentencing judge declared unequivocally that “Sabri Benkahla is not a terrorist,” highlighted his “model citizenry,” and stated that the chances of Sabri ever committing another crime were “infinitesimal.” Despite this, Sabri was moved into the Communication Management Unit (CMU) in Terre Haute, Indiana, a mostly Muslim unit in which federal prisoners are condemned to live in stark isolation from the outside world. Sabri is prohibited from contact with visitors––including his young son––for the duration of his sentence. How can you help? Write to Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001, call 202-514-2000, or e-mail [email protected]. Tell the Attorney General to review the case and the CMUs, and remind him it is unfair to put someone in double jeopardy. For more information: National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms • Portraits of Injustice www.civilfreedoms.org • Email: [email protected] • Toll Free: (855) CIV-FREE .

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