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Event Info Host: Friends of Justice Type: Causes - Protest Time and Place Start Time: Sunday, February 8, 2009 at 12:30pm End Time: Monday, February 9, 2009 at 1:30pm Location: In Front of the HUSS Plaza, New
Philip Rizk, a graduate student in the Middle East Studies program, was abducted by Egyptian State Security forces on Friday night while returning from a march in solidarity with Palestine.
Egyptian Authorities have refused to disclose his whereabouts or comment on his well being. JOIN US SUNDAY, AT 12:30 IN THE HUSS PLAZA TO DEMAND HIS IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
Even if you can’t come, please pass this event on to everyone you know!
More details will be posted as they become known.
The following is an open letter that will be presented to the AUC Board of Trustees.
February 7, 2009
To the Members of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Cairo:
We are writing this letter to you to express the profound concern of AUC students and faculty regarding a clear breach of the human rights of an AUC student by the Egyptian authorities.
On 6 February 2009, Philip Rizk, a Masters student in Middle East Studies at the AUC, was returning to Cairo from a peaceful march in Qalyoubia (north of Cairo) in solidarity with Palestinians. Although none of his actions were violent or illegal, Philip was detained by police along with other participants in the march at around 5pm and brought to a police station some four hours later. There, state security agents singled Philip out for questioning and around 11pm, abducted him through a side door and drove him to an undisclosed location.
Knowledge of these events spread rapidly through the AUC community, and students and faculty joined Philip’s other friends and family to hold a protest at the High Court in the early afternoon of February 7th demanding his immediate release. Philip’s parents and lawyers were permitted to enter the court after extensive negotiations, but learned nothing of his whereabouts. Following that, a large group of students and faculty went to the state security compound at Lazoughly near Tahrir Square. A delegation expressed its concern for Philip and inquired as to where he was being held, but received no response from Egyptian authorities. On February 8th, a gathering will be held at 12:30pm in HUSS plaza on AUC’s new campus to show solidarity for Philip, and we ask that you demonstrate your support in the following ways:
• Remain apprised of the situation. • Use your good offices and contacts to secure AUC student Philip Rizk’s immediate release. • Work to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. • Publicly reaffirm your commitment to complete freedom of association and expression for all AUC students and faculty.
Yours sincerely, Concerned Students and Faculty of the American University in Cairo
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