Ramze Shihab Ahmed: British grandfather in Iraqi prison after unfair trial

Ramze at home before his arrest © Private ACTION TYPE LETTER

70 year-old Ramze Shihab Ahmed is serving a 15 year prison sentence in Iraq after an unfair trial. He was convicted of funding terrorist groups after a hearing that lasted just 15 minutes. Demand justice for Ramze

Ramze was arrested in 2009 and held for over a year without charge. For the first four months of his detention he was held in a secret prison, where he claims he was tortured.

Over the past two years Ramze has been on trial nine times. Eight of the nine trials cleared him of all charges.

At his ninth and last trial on 20 June 2012 Ramze was found guilty of funding terrorist groups, using confessions he says were extracted from him under torture. We have serious concerns about how Ramze has been treated since his arrest in 2009, from allegations of torture and culminating in a 15 minute trial. Read more about Ramze's case

Please contact the Iraqi Ambassador to the UK, asking that Iraq ensures that Ramze's appeal meets international standards for fair trials, or to release him. Fill in your details below and we will email you your letter to print out and post or fax to the Ambassador.

Subject

Dear Dr Muhieddin Hussien Abdullah Al-Taaie

I am concerned that Ramze Shihab Ahmed, a 70-year old dual Iraqi-British national, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after an unfair trial. His court hearing lasted just 15 minutes and his lawyer was unable to challenge the prosecution's case or cross-examine witnesses. Mr Ahmed was convicted on the basis of a 'confession' allegedly obtained under torture, including electric shocks to his genitals, and information provided by a secret informant. The court also considered statements made by another individual which were also allegedly obtained under torture.

I call on the Iraqi government to:

•	Ensure Ramze Shihab Ahmed's appeal meets international fair trial standards – which include rejecting any evidence obtained under torture - or release him.
•	Immediately set up an investigation into Mr Ahmed's allegations of torture, make the results public and bring to justice anyone found responsible for torturing him. 
•	Open an investigation into allegations of torture in Iraqi prisons and bring perpetrators of torture – those ordering, committing or allowing it – to justice.

I request that my concerns are passed on to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and Justice and the Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki.

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Ramze Shihab Ahmed: British grandfather in Iraqi prison after unfair trial