A federal judge in Vermont ordered the release Wednesday of Mohsen Mahdawi, the Columbia University student who was arrested two weeks ago by ICE agents following his citizenship interview, while his case proceeds.
“The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime,” U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford said at a hearing Wednesday. “Mr. Mahdawi, I will order you released.”
“Judge Crawford, who ruled to release me against all of the heinous accusations, horrible attacks, chills of speech, First Amendment violations – he had made a very brave decision to let me out,” Mahdawi said. “And this is what justice is. And for anybody who’s doubting justice, this is a light of hope, a hope and faith in the justice system in America.”
“To President Trump and his cabinet: I am not afraid of you,” Mahdawi said.
My first thought reading your comment is of the award winning director of No Other Land who got attacked and detained after having already received his Oscar… Then there’s photo journalist Fatma Hassona who was the subject of the documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk who got killed in a bombing alongside her whole family.
We are unfortunately learning that becoming famous doesn’t necessarily protect people…
I dont think the Palestinian situation is apples to apples here. Israel is far more hostile to dissent on Palestine than the U.S. is. Doesn’t mean it will stay that way, but we have a ways to go before we start violently suppressing Israeli dissent with car bombs.
We’re far more likely to start suppressing things violently concerning our own government.
Israel acts with a lot more impunity than the US can in this stage of the fascist takeover.