On September 19, 2012 Liaquat Ali Shaikh was arrested in Jacobabad City, Sindh Province, Pakistan, while overseeing the distribution of relief materials for flood-affected people. No official charge has been made nor case registered against Mr. Ali Shaikh so far. Since the time of arrest, Ali Shaikh has had no access to communication and his exact whereabouts are unknown. It is feared that Liaquat Ali Shaikh may be subject to physical torture during his detention.

Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, wrote yesterday to the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Canada Mian Gul Akbar Zeb as well as to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Deepak Obhrai asking for the support of the governments of Pakistan and Canada.

“I am very concerned for Liaquat’s safety and well-being. I would be most grateful for any efforts that can be made to ensure his safety and release,” wrote May in her letter.

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Joe Foster, Green Party Human Rights Critic, urges the Canadian Government to take immediate action to put pressure on the government of Bahrain regarding Naser.  Foster stated, “The charges should be dropped and the sentence should be quashed. He definitely should not go to prison.”

What Bahrain is calling a “crime“ is the internationally recognized right of freedom of expression, association and assembly. It is a universal right (Article 20) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Bahrain is one of the Gulf States facing the Arab Awakening:  people protesting for their rights and democracy.  The Pakistan Green Party has also urged action, noting that Bahrain has also sentenced medics who treated protesters injured in the crackdown.

Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green Party stated, “It is essential that Canada takes its traditional role of championing human rights and democracy during the process of finding peaceful solutions in response to the Arab Awakening.”

Amnesty International has started a campaign to drop the case against Naser:

http://www.amnesty.ca/iwriteforjustice/take_action.php?actionid=786&utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Informz

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