Petition: Medical Attention for Sheikh Zakzaky, being held in Nigeria

1. E. Mr. Antonio Guterres

Secretary General of the United Nations

Mr. Secretary General,

We write to demand that Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife Mallima Zeenah be allowed to leave the country for urgent medical treatment. In the last few days, Sheikh Zakzaky’s health has further deteriorated. Last month doctors examining the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have renewed pleas for him to be released in order to access medical treatment after finding high levels of lead toxicity in his body. The continued detention of both of these figures as well as hundreds of others has been a huge stain on the reputation of Nigerian government. The health of Sheikh Zakzaky and Mallima Zeenah health continues to severely deteriorate as a result of injuries THAT APPEAR TO BE inflicted by THE Nigerian authorities. By not allowing them to get the medical treatment they need, the Nigerian President is adding further evidence of his government’s inhumanity and cruelty.

Your Excellency! As you know the Nigerian people struggle peacefully to attain their own sovereignty for years and are expecting the organizations linked to Human Rights to help them. During these years they have been permanently oppressed as they were and still are demanding to have access to their basic citizenship rights.

Mr. Secretary General! As UN has been mainly established to provide peace and security across the globe and according to the article 21 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which recognizes the people’s will as the basis and source of governing power, the demand of Nigerian citizens on having a democratically elected government in which the majority rules the country is a very elementary request. Why this primary demand for achieving the minimum social rights should face the government’s atrocities including imprisonment, torture, and assassination?

Your Excellency! According to the UDHR’s articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29 the behavior of this autocratic regime toward his own people including; destruction of the hussainiyas and the mosques, preventing the Nigerian people who are mostly Muslims from establishing both Friday and congregational prayers, suspension of citizenship and deportation of opponents of Nigerian undemocratic and totalitarian government, is considered as a crime and UN is responsible to condemn those acts which violate international laws.

Mr. Secretary General! You know well that these mentioned crimes don’t match with the essence of Human Rights.

Your Excellency, The silence of world powers and the so-called defenders of Human Rights toward these anti-human crimes, is not surprising as the authorities of Nigerian tyrannical regime are acting under their support and they are allowed once the West’s interests are achieved! But as the one who should unveil the criminals and has to intervene and to protest against the oppressors, your silence is significant and shocking. Remember that you’re responsible for maintaining a peaceful and secure world and as the person in charge of performing the UDHR content, you’re condemned in the presence of free consciences and human history.

Mr. Secretary General! According to the religious teachings and the unchangeable divine traditions; whatever you, other international officials and those so-called defenders of Human Rights, accomplish your legal, human and moral duty or not, the oppressed nations particularly the Yemeni, Syrian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Afghan and Nigerian peoples will win as they have decided to be free and not to accept any type of injustice and they stand on this issue. But that is a historical privilege for you to be honored by supporting them, thus we undersigned, ask your Excellency to carry out the following issues as soon as possible:

1-    Launching urgent measures in order to stop the actions which oppose the international standards and violate the UDHR’s article 25 regarding the sensitive health situation of his eminence Sheikh Zakzaky;

2-    Providing necessary and ensuring arrangements to establish the democracy and to implement the UDHR’s article 21 by making possible a referendum through which every single Nigerian citizen has one vote;

3-    Initiating emergency measures to stop the tyranny of Nigerian dictatorial regime which threatens the security and freedom of people and jail, torture and assassinate them;

4-    Immediate release of political prisoners and investigation about Nigerian Government’s unaccountable crimes in competent international courts.

Regards

Signatories:

1. Johan Galtung (Norway), Sociologist, Mathematician, the principal Founder of the ‘discipline of peace & conflict studies, First Tun Mahathir Professor of Global Peace at the International Islamic University Malaysia, world’s first chair in peace and conflict studies, at the University of Oslo (1969)
2. Ward Churchill (US), Former professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, Author, Political Analyst,
3. James Henry Fetzer (US), Philosopher, Emeritus professor of the philosophy of science at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Political Expert
4. Farid Esack (South Africa), Professor in the Study of Islam at University of Johannesburg
5. William O. Beeman (US), Professor of Anthropology at University of Minnesota, Author
6. Rodney Shakespeare (UK), Former Professor of Binary Economics at Trisakti University, Economy Expert
7. Paul Sheldon Foote (US), Professor of Accounting at California State University, Fullerton, Political Analyst
8. Lawrence Davidson (US), Former professor of history at West Chester University, author, political analyst
9. Jacob Cohen (France), Former professor at Faculty of Law – Casablanca, Morocco, Author &Journalist
10. Yahya Christian Bonaud (France), Islamologist, Writer, Translator, Commentator of the Quran, Mysticism Researcher
11. Kevin J. Barrett (US), Former lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Author, Political Analyst,
12. Maria Poumier (France), Former professor at University of Sorbonne
13. Paul Larudee (US), Anti-war Activist, Co-founder of Free Gaza Movement, Political Analyst
14. Christian Bouchet (France), Former Politician, Teacher, Publisher
15. Zafar Bangash (Canada), Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought, Muslim Leader, Commentator of Holy Quran
16. Rev. Randy Short (US), Minister African Orthodox Church of Washington
17. Marwa Osman (Lebanon), Academic, Journalist, Political TV show host, Political Commentator
18. George Galloway (UK), MP for 25years, Broadcaster, Writer
19. Craig Murray (UK), Whistleblower, Former Diplomat, Political Activist, Human Rights Campaigner, Author
20. Alain Corvez (France), Former Advisor of Minister of Defense, Military Expert, International Strategy Advisor
21. Stephen Lendman (US), Author, Radio Host, Political Analyst
22. Michael Springmann (US), Ex-diplomat, Former head of the American Visa Bureau in KSA; Author, Political Analyst
23. Alison Weir(US), Activist, Writer, Journalist, Founder of ifAmericansKnew, president of the Council for the National Interest
24. Imam Muhammad al-Asi (US), Former Imam at the Islamic Center of Washington, Muslim Leader,
25. Joe Iosbaker (US), National Coordinator, 2012 Anti-War March on NATO Summit
26. Ajamu Baraka (US), Political Activist, Former Green Party nominee for US Vice President election (2016), National Organizer for Black Alliance for Peace
27. David Swanson (US), Anti-war Activist, Blogger, Author, Political Analyst
28. Greta Berlin (US), Anti-war Activist, Co-founder of Free Gaza Movement, Political Analyst
29. Gordon Duff (US), Military analyst, Veteranstoday’s Senior Editor, Marine Combat Veteran of the Vietnam War (Former National Security Advisor to the President of Nigeria)
30. William Rodriguez (US), Anti-war Activist, 911 truther
31. Wayne Madsen (US), Journalist, Columnist, Author of “Decade of Death: Secret Wars & Genocide in Africa 1993-2003,”
32. Michael Maloof (US), Former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Military Expert
33. Jim W. Dean (US), Managing Editor of VT, Military Expert
34. Carol Brouillet (US), 2012 Green Party candidate for U.S. House to represent the 18th Congressional District of California
35. Ken O’keefe (Ireland), Former US Marine and Gulf War Veteran, Political Analyst
36. David Lawley Wakelin (UK), Documentary film maker, Author of “The Alternative Iraq Enquiry”
37. Edward C. Corrigan (Canada), International Human Rights Lawyer, Barrister, Solicitor, Certified Specialist in Citizenship, Immigration & Refugee Protection
38. Eric Walberg (Canada), Journalist, Political & Cultural Analyst, author
39. Peter Koenig (Switzerland), Economist, Geopolitical Analyst
40. Laurent Louis (Belgium), Politician, Former Member of Chamber of Representatives
41. Doğan Bermek (Turkey), Muslim Leader, President of Alevi Philosophy Center – Turkey.
42. Manuel Ochsenreiter (Germany), Journalist, Political Analyst, Editor-in-chief of the Monthly “Zuerst!” (first)
43. Rainer Rupp (Germany), Former Intelligence Agent, Journalist, Economist MA
44. Jürgen Cain Külbel (Germany), Investigative Journalist, Political Analyst, Former Criminal Investigator of the GDR
45. Gilles Munier (France), investigative Journalist, Author, Political Analyst
46. Isabelle Coutant Peyre (France), International Lawyer, Political Activist, Law Expert
47. Max Igan (Australia), Radio Host, Political Analyst
48. Iurie Rosca (Moldova), Former Deputy Prime Minister, former Deputy President of Parliament, former MP
49. Teša Tešanović (Serbia), Journalist, Editor in chief of “Balkan info”, Political Activist
50. Shabbir Hassanally (UK), Political Analyst
51. Stephen Sizer (UK), Former vicar of the Anglican parish of Christ Church, Virginia Water, in Surrey, Author, Political Analyst
52. Sara Flounders (US), Political Writer, Anti-war Activist, Member of Secretariat of “Workers World Party”, Leader of “International Action Center”
53. Matthew Hoh (US), Former Diplomat, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington, DC   
54. Pr. Claudio Mutti (Italia) ;  Publisher, Philologist, Essayist, Editor of Eurasia Geopolitics Journal
55. Dr. Mateusz Piskorski (Poland), Political Scientist, Former MP, Journalist
56. Konrad Rekas (Scotland), journalist and columnist, former Chairman of the Lubelskie Regional Council
57. Pr. Alexander Azadgan (US), Professor of Strateguc Global Management & International Political Economy (USA) & Editor-at-large with United World International”
58. Sander Hicks (US), Former New York’s Congressional Candidate, Musician, Author
59. Leslie Varenne (France), Editor in Chief of IVERIS, Journalist, Political Analyst
60. Vávra Suk (Sweden), Editor In Chief of Nya Tider (New Times) Weekly Newspaper