London- A group of 120 politicians, academicians and Journalists from several countries issued an urgent appeal to protect the rights of the Iraqi detainees and prisoners of war in the American jails in Iraq. The group also announced the formation of International Solidarity Committee with them and demanded that their treatment conforms with the Geneva Protocol vis-à-vis the detainees and prisoners of war. The signatories on the appeal stated:

“While we demand the release of the Iraqi detainees and prisoners of war, we insist that the US occupation force in Iraq apply the articles of the Geneva Protocol respecting the prisoners of war, and to cease and desist from all forms of torture against the detainees, and to allow international judicial and constitutional committees and the International Red Cross Organisation to visit all detaining camps in Iraq and examine the state of their occupants.”

The Appeal stated that the American occupation force in Iraq detains more than one hundred and fifty thousand detainee and prisoners of war scattered over more than 28 detaining camps, and that several thousands of them have been there more than five years under appalling conditions that contravene the articles of the Geneva Protocol respecting the prisoners of war. The Appeal also stated that “the majority of the detainees are elderly and suffering from health problems that may threaten their lives. There are also thousands of teenagers, females and kids who were detained as hostages in lieu of their spouses or their fathers.”

The Appeal affirms that all detainees and prisoners of war are constantly subjected to all kinds of extreme torture, degradation, and deprivation of self esteem and human dignity. All detainees are forbidden from communicating with the outside world, and most of them from visitations by their families or relatives. Among the signatories are eighty dignitaries; Members of European Parliaments Party Leaders, Political activists from various parts of the world, and thirty nine politicians, experts, academicians and journalists from Iraq and several Arab countries. The followings are the text of the Appeal and the list of the signatories:

The International Committee for Solidarity with Prisoners and Detainees in American Jails in Iraq(Nida’, the Call) The roaring of millions of the earth’s people growled on the month of February 2003 in the streets of major cities in rejection of the choice of war on Iraq . Those millions have been aware that peace cannot be achieved through destruction, war and the clash of civilizations. Events have proven this position to be right. The United States and the foreign armies supporting it have occupied Iraq and promised its people democracy, freedom, and prosperity. But the Iraqi people, five years into the occupation, still cannot find a place in its homeland that would be safe from American soldiers, the mercenaries of Blackwater, or from terrorists and militias who remain a product of the occupation - be they in agreement with it or not. Moreover, Iraqis still see no hope in the future if conditions remain as they have been under the occupation. Today more than three million Iraqis have turned to refugees in the diaspora for fear of murder and arrest. Those who remain continue to suffer the pains of the occupation. Some of them have been incarcerated in the ugliest jails on earth. At the present time, the forces of American occupation are holding more than one hundred and fifty thousand Iraqi prisoners and detainees dispersed over 28 detention camps. Thousands of those have been held for more than five years in harsh conditions violating the Geneva Conventions pertaining to the handling prisoners of war (POW’s), many of them older folks suffering from health problems or difficulties which threaten their lives. Thousands of other prisoners and detainees are young men, women, and children who have been taken hostage instead of their husbands and fathers. All of the prisoners and detainees are continuously subjected to the meanest possible forms of torture, insults, and debasement of human dignity. All of them are deprived of any means of communication with the outside world, and most are forbidden from meeting with their families and parents. Because we do not hold the American people responsible for the wars, occupation, and human rights violations transpiring from the policy of the current US administration, Because we deem ourselves responsible towards humanity first, and towards the Iraqi people second, we declare, before its too late, our opposition to the practices of the occupier running outlaw to the Conventions on Human Rights. This position of ours is a humanitarian one that is supportive of civilization, against all who commit wrongs against it, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, or geographical affiliation. This position of ours is not only a defense of the freedom and human rights of Iraqis, but a defense of humanity, of civilized values, and the system of justice and laws which should cover everyone, including Iraqis. We, in declaring and affirming our solidarity with those defending their legitimate rights in their homelands, and with Iraqi prisoners and detainees, condemn and decry the continuation of their detention, and call on all to initiate all possible activities and events to demand their release. We believe that justice is intertwined with freedom. Grass does not grow on the shields of American tanks of occupation, as the last five years have shown. But it does grow in the hearts of those who believe in man, his rights, and his dignity. We, in demanding the release of Iraqi prisoners and detainees, reaffirm the importance of holding American forces of occupation in Iraq to the letter of the Geneva Conventions pertaining to the treatment of prisoners, to stopping all forms of torture against detainees, and to allowing international legal and human rights organizations, and the Red Cross, to visit all American detention camps in Iraq to stay abreast of the situation of prisoners and detainees there. The International Committee for Solidarity with Prisoners and Detainees in American Jails in Iraq (Nida’, the Call) April 26, 2008

1-Bruno Dias, Member of Portuguese Parliament - Portugal

2- Carlos Candal, Lawyer , Ex–member of the European Parliament – Portugal

3- Maria Ilda C. Figueiredo, Member of the European Parliament – Economist

4- Muricio Miguel, Collaborator of the GUE/ NGL European Parliament – Brussels

5- Manuela Bernardino, Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party

6- Angelo Alves, Member of the Politic Commission of Central committee of the Portuguese Communist Party

7- Graciete Cruz, Member Executive Committee of CGTP – Portugal

8- Amador Filipe Tomas Clemente, Member of MPPM – Portugal

9- Antonio Alves, Peace Activist - Portugal

10- Antonio Jose Avelas Nunes, University Professor - Portugal

11- Aquilino Ribeiro Machado, Engineer - Portugal

12- Armando Myre Dores, Psychologist – Portugal

13- Regina Marques, University Professor, Member of the Democratic Movement of Women – Portugal

14- Klaus Hartmann, Chairman of the German Association or Freethinkers, Vice president Of the World Union of Freethinkers

15- John Catalinotto, managing editor of Workers World, USA

16- Sara Flounders, co –director of the International Action Center, USA

17- Carlos Varea, Coordinator of the Spanish Campaign against Occupation and for the Sovereignity of Iraq (CEOSI(

18- Samir Amin, sociologist

19- Jorge Figueiredo, editor of Resistir.info, Portugal

20- Miguel Urbano Rodriguez, Former member of the European Parliament, editor of Odiario.info – Portugal

22- Willi Langthaler, Spokesman of the Anti – imperialist Camp, Austria

23- Abdul Ilah al Bayaty, writer – France

24- Ozgur Der, (Free Thought Association( - Turkey

25- Freedom Socialist Party, International Executive Committee - USA - Australia

26- Pedro Rojo, activist in the CEOSI( - Spain

27- Dr. Mario Novelli, professor at Amsterdam University - Netherlands

28- Rosa Regas, Writer, former Head of the National Spanish Library

29- Maruja Torres, Spanish writer and journalist

30- Gianni Vattimo, Filosofo ed ex Parlamentare Europeo – Italy

31- Danilo Zolo, Universita di Firenze – Italy

32- Costanzo Preve, Filosofo, Torino – Italy

33- Giovanni Franzoni, [ Comunita Cristiane di Base] – Italy

34- Marino Badiale. Universita di Torino – Italy

35- Bruno Antonio Bellerate, Universita Roma – Italy

36- Ugo Giannangeli, Avvocato Milano – Italy

37- Giuseppe Pelazza, Avvocato, Milano – Italy

38- Tusio De Iuliis, Presidente Associazione ) Aiutiamoli a Vivere) – Italy

39- Yukiko Ueno, Ricercatrice – Italy

40- Maria Grazia Ardizzone, Campo Antimperialista – Italy

41- Leonardo Mazzei, Comitato Nazionale Gaza Vivra – Italy

42- Dr. Helene Charif, University Academic – Sweeden

43- Francis Arzalier, Collectif communiste polex – France

44- Orlanda Gonzalez, University Professor – Spain

45- Jaime Ballesteros, President OSPAAAL – Spain

46- Jose Reinaldo, Journaliste/ecrivain - Brazil

47- Doggui Sliman, Neurologue – France

48- Francis Combes, Poete/Editeur – France

49- Carmem Dolores Marques, Journalist of TV1 (Portuguese TV) - Portugal

50-Fernando Mauricio, Translater-Interpreter – Portugal

51- Gloria Marreiros da Cunha, Writer – Museologist – Portugal

52-Gustavo Carneiro, Journalist, member of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Co –operation National Direction – Portugal

53- Henrique Luis P. Cunha, Engineer – Portugal

54-Herbert Goulart, Economist – Portugal

55- Jose Ernesto Cartaxo, Sindicalista – Portugal

56- Jose Goulao, Journalist - Portugal

57- Luis Azevedo,Lawyer - Portugal

58- Manuel Duran Clemente, Retired Colonel - Portugal

59- Maria de Lourdes Alves Rodrigues, Sociologist - Portugal

60- Maria do Ceu Guerra, Actress / Stage Manager - Portugal

61- Maria Elvira Palhinhas, Member of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Co-operation, National Direction - Portugal

62- Mario Padua, Medical doctor - Portugal

63- Jusev Skala, Writer - Rep.Tcheque

64- Stefan Chnopek, Lawyer - Rep .Tcheque

65- Kujera Jaroslav, Historian - Rep, Tcheque

66- Hlavaty Jaroslav, Retired officer - Rep. Tcheque

67- Lecko Radik, university professor - Rep. Tcheque

68- Sasa Novakova, Journalist - Rep.Tcheque

69- Radosinski Miche, Enterpreneur - Rep. Tcheque

70- Natacha Amaro, Technical of international relations, Member of the Democratic Movement of Women - Portugal

71- Rui Namorado Rosa, University Professor , President of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Co-operation - Portugal

72- Sandra Benfica, Member of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Co-operation, National Direction - Portugal

73- Sergio Vinagre, Medical Doctor - Portugal

74- Silas Cerquera, Member of MPPM, researcher on African Affairs - Portugal

75- Vitor Pedro G. Silva, Vice-President of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Co-operation - Portugal

76- Joao Corregedor da Fonseca, President of Democratic Intervention Association - Portugal

77- Francisco Navarro, Manager - Portugal

78- Fatima Amaral, member of Democratic Movement of Women - Portugal

79- Jose Neves, Member of MPPM - Portugal

80- Levy Baptista, Lawyer - Portugal

81- Manuel Carvalho da Silva, General Secretary of CGTP- Portugal

82 –Al Mahdi al menjera

83-Dr. Sameer Ameen

84- Albaseer Bomeza

85- khaled Aljame

86- Professor Yahya Yahyawi

87- Mr Mustafa Bakri, Chief Editor of Al-week Egyptian - Egypt

88- Mr - Hamdin Sabahi, member of the Egyptian People/Al Karama - Egypt

89- Dr. Ashraf Bayoumi, Writer and political activist - Egypt

99- Engineer Abul Ela Mady Abul Ela, Islamic political activist, Centre Party - Egypt

91- Mr Hamdan Hamdan, Writer and researcher - Palestine, Syria

92- Engineer Leith Shbeilat, Islamic political activist - Jordan

93- Dr. Ibrahim Alloush, Writer and political activist - Jordan

94- Mrs. Samira Rajab, Member of the Shura Council in Bahrain and writer - Bahrain

95- Mr. Hassan Ismail Abdel Azim, secretary-general counsel Party, Democratic Arab Socialist Union - Syria

96- Mr. Ahmed Fayez Fawaz, Chief Human Rights Association in Syria - Syria

97- Mr. Haitham Maleh, human rights activist - Syria

98- Mr. Mohammed Abdel-Maguid Majnona, Arab Socialist Union Party, the Democratic / ASG - Syria

99- Mr. Fateh Jamous, A leading Communist Labour Party - Syria

100- Mr. Raja Nasser, secretary of a rally in support of Jean Iraq - Syria

101- Mr . Shukri Belaid, Counsel - Tunisia

102- Mr.Fawzi Bin Murad, Counsel - Tunisia

103 – Mr. Abdul Nasser Al awini, lawyer - Tunisia

104 – Mr. Ahmed Sadik, lawyer - Tunisia

105 – Mr. Sami Tahiri, Union - Tunisia

106 – Mr. Al Habib Al Turifi, Union - Tunisia

107 – Mr. Abdul Rahman Alhotheli, Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights - Tunisia

108 – Mr. Mohammed bin hinda, Political activist - Tunisia

109 – Mr.Sabah al-Musawi, Political activist spaces

110 – Mr. Ahmed Buda, Prime radio station Al-Manar and political activist - Belgium

111 – Mr. Ahmad Kareem, Chairman of the Communist National Democratic Movement - Iraq - Jikia

112 – Mr. Qais Mohammad Nouri Researcher, university professor - Iraq – Yemen

113 – Mr Sabah Al Mokhtar Chairman of the Arab Lawyers Association in Britain - Iraq

114– Mr Ali Alsraf, Writer and journalist - Iraq - London

115- Mr. Subhi Toma, Political activist - Iraq - France

116- Mr. Iman Al saadoon, Political activist - Iraq

117- Dr. Saad Dawood kiryakos University professor in Canada - Iraq

118 – Mr. Awni Al-Kalamji, The official spokesman for the Iraqi National Alliance - Iraq - Denmark

119- Mr. Engineer Suleiman Abdul-Jabbar Al-Kubaisi former Prisoner in the U.S. occupation camps - Iraq – France

120- Dr -Dia al-Shamri Sculptor Iraqi Vienna - Austria