Montather's Brother meets him

Posted by Raed Jarrar
http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/


from Al-Baghdadia's website:
(rough translation)

Uday Al-Zeidi, the older brother of the Al-Baghdadia's correspondent who was detained a week ago, met with Montather today. Montather told his brother that after the incident, he was beaten and kicked by the Iraqi security forces until he fainted.

Uday told Al-Baghdadia channel during an exclusive interview this morning that the Iraqi justice system allowed him to meet his brother for more than an hour and a quarter. He confirmed that Montather told him that he was tortured with electric shock after being stripped naked, and that he was continuously humiliated and tortured throughout the period of detention, and that he had bruises all over his face and body, and that members of the Iraqi security forces disfigured his face through beatings and cigarette burns.

Montather also told his brother Uday that confessions were extracted from him by force, and that he would like to bring a lawsuit against everyone who participated in his torture. Montather told Uday that he did what he did for all the Iraqi orphans, widows, children and for all the Iraqi people who where wronged. Montather said that if he could go back in time he would still do what he did to Bush again.

Montather confirmed that he does not belong to any political parties, and that no insult was intended toward the Iraqi PM Al-Maliki. Al-Zaidi's brother speculated that the reason behind denying his family access to Montather during the past days was because the authorities were trying to hide what has happened to Montather because of torture.

Finally, Uday Al-Ziedi demanded a fair neutral medical evaluation of Montather's health in detention. (end translation)I contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to ask them for a make a site visit to evaluate Montather Al-Zeidi's health.

Here is the email i've sent:

Dear Mr Hisham Hassan and Ms. Dorothea Krimitsas

I am writing you to inquire about the possibility of you conducting a site visit and meet with Mr. Montather Al-Zeidi, the Iraqi Journalist who tossed his shoes at president Bush last week. Mr. Al-Zeidi has been detained for over a week now, and has been denied access to his lawyers or family members.

Today, Mr. Uday Al-Zeidi (Montather's brother) visited him at jail then reported to a number of Iraqi and Arab media that Mr. Montather Al-Ziedi was "tortured with electric shock after being stripped naked", and that he had "bruises all over his face and body", and members of the Iraqi security forces have "disfigured his face through beatings and cigarette burns".

Montather also told his brother Uday that "confessions were extracted from him by force".Mr. Al-Zeidi's family are requesting a "neutral medical evaluation" of his health, and it'll be great if the ICRC can step in and request a site visit.

best
Raed Jarrar


You can contact Mr Hisham Hassan at iraq.iqs@icrc.org and Ms. Dorothea Krimitsas at dkrimitsas.gva@icrc.org