Sheik Khaled Tantoush, a revered and much loved spiritual leader, with Franklin Lamb in Tripoli.
(Image courtesy of Franklin Lamb. ©All rights reserved.)
Alexandra Valiente and Franklin Lamb
Libya 360°
Franklin recalls that “Sheik Khaled was one of the most popular TV religious figures and appeared often, maybe three times per week on his or others programs and attended loyalist political events. He was very accessible to everyone. He gave me his written testimony on the Brega bombing.”
“One thing I will not forget about him is that during Ramadan, being a well connected religious leader, his mosque would distribute food. When I told him of one large family with four girls and three boys and no father who needed help, he immediately dispatched an aid to take the family 500 Libyan dinars to buy food for the family iftars. This person advised me that the Gadhafi regime had an elaborate network of distributing cash grants and food to needy families and Sheik Khaled was part of the organization that accomplished this.”
“This video of him being tortured is what everyone is subjected to when they are questioned. Of course we have no idea what Sheik Khaled has been subjected to since or before it was taken. In the video his tormentors are playing one of his “sermons” in the background and ridiculing his pro-Gadhafi theme.”
Sheik Khaled Tantoush presided over the funeral and burial of Muammar Gaddafi, Mu’tassim Gaddafi and Abu Bakr Younis, which can be viewed here.
He was was abducted from his home in Sirte and is being held prisoner in Misratah where he is subjected to daily torture. He is at immanent risk of execution.
Dr. Lamb will attempt to visit him in prison and will provide more details soon.
Please check back as this urgent appeal is updated.
On behalf of Sheik Khaled Tantoush and his family, I implore readers to assist us by submitting appeals for compassionate intervention to the following, reminding them of their duty to honor and uphold these laws:
THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS
CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations New York
NY 10017 USA
212-963-5012
fax: 212-963-7055
ecu@un.org
Amnesty International
+44 (0) 20 7413 5566 +44 7778 472 126
gvunpost@amnesty.org
press@amnesty.org
amnesty-eu@aieu.be
mena@amnesty.org
ai-aro@amnesty.org
msk@amnesty.org
Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue
34th floor New York
NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: +1 212 290 4700
Fax: +1 212 736 1300
hrwnyc@hrw.org
51, Avenue Blanc
1202 Geneva Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 738 0481
Fax: +41 22 738 1791
hrwgva@hrw.org
2-12 Pentonville Road 2nd Floor
London N1 9HF
UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995
Fax: +44 20 7713 1800
hrwuk@hrw.org
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights Council of Europe
Strasbourg, FRANCE
+ 33 (0)3 88 41 34 21
+ 33 (0)3 90 21 50 53
press.commissioner@coe.int
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
19 Avenue de la paix CH 1202 Geneva
Tel: +41 22 734 60 01 Fax: +41 22 733 20 57
webmaster@icrc.org
ICRC delegations: Libya
These are the key ICRC contacts to target:
ICRC delegation
Ibrahim Al Houni Street
10.53.050
Diagonally Opposite Brother’s Clinic (Al Okhowa)
Nouflieen,TRIPOLI
Phone: (+218) 21 3409 331, +218 21 340 92 62
mobile: (+218) 91 941 80 66, +218 92 523 65 82
tri_tripoli@icrc.org
Head of delegation:
Mr Georges Comninos
Media contact person:
Ms MESSOUDI Soaade
(+218) 913 066 198
Languages spoken: English/French/Arabic
ICRC Benghazi Al Andalus Street, Al Fwihat, Benghazi, LIBYA
Phone:( + 218) 92 807 7405
Head of offce: Mr. Patrick Schwaerzler
ben_benghazi@icrc.org
Media contact person:
Ms Dibeh FAKHR Mobile:
+218 (0) 92 330 4560 Sat: +870 772 390 124
Languages spoken: English/French/Arabic/Spanish
*Additional contact email addresses can be found here and if you choose to include these, I strongly encourage specifically targeting the Venezuela, Cuba, the African Union, individual African Nations, Russia and China.
International Media Contacts:
letters@msnbc.com
onlyonfox@foxnews.com
editor@nypost.com
editor@nypost.com
stella.dawson@reuters.com
contact@lefigaro.fr
mail@mondepub.fr
letters@examiner.ie
letters@thetimes.co.uk
insight@sunday-times.co.uk
letters@guardian.co.uk
mena@amnesty.org
gvunpost@amnesty.org
ai-aro@amnesty.org
msk@amnesty.org
hrwnyc@hrw.org
berlin@hrw.org
press.commissioner@coe.int
stella.dawson@reuters.com
mail@mondepub.fr
letters@examiner.ie
Letters@thetimes.co.uk
insight@sunday-times.co.uk
letters@guardian.co.uk
hrwgva@hrw.org
rusun.press@gmail.com
rusun@un.int
press@amnesty.org
blatche@hrw.org
paris@hrw.org
international@guardian.co.uk
foreigneditor@independent.co.uk
foreign@washpost.com
aji-london-newsdesk@aljazeera.net
anthea.lipsett@guardian.co.uk
news@standard.co.uk
newseditor@independent.co.uk
news@dailymirror.co.uk
press.int@aljazeera.net
londonnews@bbc.co.uk
news@sky.com
jon.snow@itn.co.uk
politics.editor@london-student.net
politics@guardian.co.uk
englishnews@alarabiya.net
laura.tait@newsint.co.uk
bo.wilson@thelondonlite.co.uk
bccreports@socialistworker.co.uk
info@electronicintifada.net
editorial@camdennewjournal.co.uk
news.london@ukmetro.co.uk
5live.planning@bbc.co.uk
5newsdesk@itn.co.uk
fourmanfilms@hotmail.co.uk
filkaler@googlemail.com
stguest2@sunday-times.co.uk
news@standard.co.uk
cceditor@standard.co.uk
d.macleod@guardian.co.uk
r.mccarthy@guardian.co.uk
reports@socialistworker.co.uk
worldwidetv.letters@bbc.co.uk
mschwanhausser@sjmercury.com
insidetrack@toronto.cbc.ca
jonathannicholas@news.oregonian.com
jennifer.ruark@chronicle.com
tpugh@krwashington.com
JWeeks@dallasnews.com
submissions@commondreams.org
lbeil@dallasnews.com
kathy.kristof@latimes.com
This appeal campaign is © Copyright 2011 by Libya 360° and Viva Libya!. Republication is strictly forbidden. You are however permitted, encouraged and welcome to post the link to the original letter of appeal and petition. On behalf of Libya’s political prisoners, we thank you for your support and cooperation.
Posted on December 2, 2011 by Alexandra