Rabeh Osman Held Under False Pretences

SOURCE : Helptheprisoners.org
13th June 2009


Background

Rabeh Osman Sayed is an Egyptian national who is currently serving a sentence in Italy’s Guantanamo, Macomer Prison in Sardinia. He was arrested in connection with the Madrid Bombings of 2004, where the Spanish Authorities requested his extradition on the allegation that he was the “mastermind”. A key part of the evidence in connection with the extradition were surveillance transcripts from the Italian intelligence agencies that were provided in translated form to the Spanish Authorities as well as statements that they say were obtained fairly.

Whilst being held awaiting extradition, he was subjected to horrendous abuses by both the prison authorities and the police. These included :-

1. Suffered daily beatings by Guards and Officers

2. Threatening and intimidatory behaviour towards not only himself but muslims in general, telling him that they plan to invade his country, rape muslim women and kill muslim men

3. Put in a cell with no light, naked, whilst guards encircled him regularly and sexually humiliated him

4. Left without food or drink for many hours

5. Asked to see a doctor after suffering torture, but was refused

6. Forced to sign a paper which he could not read nor understand

Upon being extradited and tried, he was aquitted. The basis for the acquittal was that the translations provided by the Italians were found to be false and inaccurate by not only independent translators but also by the Spanish investigators themselves through the external intelligence unit.

Despite this, he was sent back to italy to continue serving a sentence on the basis of these inaccurate translations. He appealed the ruling based upon the following facts :-

1. Italian experts had falsely translated his phone recordings

2. A recording made from a vehicle was not his voice, as found by both the Spanish investigators and independent translators

3. Handwriting experts from Spain state that the writing the Italians are relying upon are not Osmans

Upon appealing, his lawyers were informed that “the Italian courts do not care about what happened in Spain, this is Italy.” They requested to interview the Italian experts, but were refused to be allowed to do so. No Italian “expert” has ever taken samples from Osman, and therefore it is unclear how they can possibly make a comparison.

He is now based in Macomer, in which is notorious for its dire conditions. They are held under near constant isolation with many sickening abuses taking place that we have already highlighted and will continue to highlight in the coming days.

Osman continues to be held unjustly which in our opinion is a clear miscarriage of justice as he has already been acquitted by the highest court in Spain after many hours of testimony and expert questioning. He should not have any case to answer in Italy, yet he is serving a long sentence due to “evidence” that has already been proven to be false in Spain. He has also been threatened with deportation to Egypt, where he would face certain death.

Actions Required

Write to the Italian Interior Ministry, asking why they continue to hold Rabeh Osman unjustly under spurious evidence which has already been proven to be false.

Write to your MEP, asking them to highlight this issue with Italian MEPs

Key Contacts

Ministero dell’Interno
Palazzo Viminale
Via Agostino Depretis, 7
00184 Roma, ITALY

E mail:  segreteriaparticolare.ministro@interno.it

Ministero della Giustizia

Palazzo Piacentini
Via Arenula, 70
00186 Roma, ITALY
Fax:+39-06-68897951

E-mail:  segreteria.ministro@giustizia.it


Sample Letter ( English )

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you concerning Rabeh Osman Sayed, an Egyptian national who is being held at Macomer Prison in Sardinia. He was tried and aquitted in Spain during the Madrid Bombing trial.

The basis for the acquittal was that the translations provided by the Italians were found to be false and inaccurate by not only independent translators but also by the Spanish investigators themselves through the external intelligence unit.

Despite this, he was sent back to italy to continue serving a sentence on the basis of these inaccurate translations. He appealed the ruling based upon the following facts :-

1. Italian experts had falsely translated his phone recordings

2. A recording made from a vehicle was not his voice, as found by both the Spanish investigators and independent translators

3.Handwriting experts from Spain state that the writing the Italians are relying upon are not Osmans

Upon appealing, his lawyers were informed that “the Italian courts do not care about what happened in Spain, this is Italy.” They requested to interview the Italian experts, and this was refused. No Italian “expert” has ever taken samples from Osman, and therefore it is unclear how they can possibly make a comparison.

Osman continues to be held unjustly as he has already been acquitted by the highest court in Spain after many hours of testimony and expert questioning. This is a clear miscarriage of justice. He should not have any case to answer in Italy, yet he is serving a long sentence due to “evidence” that has already been proven to be false in Spain. He has also been threatened with deportation to Egypt, where he would face certain death.

I would ask you to ensure that Italy fulfils their obligations with regards the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular Article 6, which states :-

“In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law”

I trust you will now ensure that the Italian government honour their agreements with regards the right to a fair trial and address this miscarriage of justice immediately.

Regards,









Sample Letter ( Italian using Google Translate )

Egregi Signori,

Sto scrivendo a voi, relativa RABEH Osman Sayed, un cittadino egiziano, che si svolge al carcere di Macomer in Sardegna. E 'stato processato e assolto in Spagna durante il bombardamento di prova Madrid.

La base per l'assoluzione è che le traduzioni previste dagli italiani sono stati trovati ad essere false e imprecise, non solo da traduttori indipendenti, ma anche dal governo spagnolo investigatori attraverso l'unità esterna.

Nonostante ciò, è stato rinviato in Italia per continuare a servire una frase sulla base di tali traduzioni inesatte. Egli ha fatto appello alla sentenza basata sui seguenti fatti: --


1. Esperti italiani avevano falsamente tradotto il suo telefono cellulare registrazioni

2. Una registrazione fatta da un veicolo non era la sua voce, come rilevato sia dal spagnolo investigatori indipendenti e traduttori


3. Grafia di esperti provenienti dalla Spagna affermano che la scrittura sono gli italiani che si avvalgono del non sono Osmans

Su appello, i suoi avvocati sono stati informati del fatto che "i giudici italiani di non preoccuparsi di ciò che è accaduto in Spagna, questa è l'Italia." Hanno chiesto di intervistare l'italiano esperti, e questo è stato rifiutato. Nessun italiano "esperto" ha mai preso campioni di Osman, e quindi non è chiaro in che modo è possibile fare un confronto.

Osman continua ad essere detenuto ingiustamente, come è già stato assolto dal tribunale di grado più elevato in Spagna, dopo molte ore di testimonianza e di esperti interrogatorio. Questo è un chiaro aborto spontaneo della giustizia. Egli non deve avere alcun caso di rispondere in Italia, è ancora un lungo periodo di servizio a causa di "prova" che è stato già dimostrato di essere falsa in Spagna. Egli è stato anche minacciato di espulsione in Egitto, dove avrebbe potuto affrontare morte certa.

Vi chiedo di assicurare che l'Italia rispetti i propri obblighi per quanto riguarda la Convenzione europea sui diritti umani, in particolare l'articolo 6, che recita: --

"Nella determinazione dei suoi diritti civili e gli obblighi o di qualsiasi procedimento penale contro di lui, ogni persona ha diritto ad una equa e pubblica udienza entro un termine ragionevole da un tribunale indipendente e imparziale istituito dalla legge"

Mi auguro che ora garantire che il governo italiano onorare i loro accordi per quanto riguarda il diritto ad un equo processo e l'indirizzo di questo aborto spontaneo giustizia immediatamente.