French Police Cracks Down on George Abdullah Supporters

Local Editor

French police are cracking down on all demonstrations in support of George Ibrahim Abdullah's release from prison for the first time.
However, protesters vowed that they will remain undeterred in the their campaign, activists in Paris revealed.
This comes as Judicial sources stated that the session scheduled for Jan. 28 to decide on Abdullah's release was postponed after the French prosecution filed an appeal.
"We are surprised at the aggressive methods of the French government against protesters; we have been demonstrating for years, but we haven't been attacked this way," said Alain Pojolat, a member of the Committee for the Release of George Abdullah.

Moreover, activists said that at least 40 protesters were detained by the French police minutes after nearly 150 demonstrators arrived near the Interior Ministry headquarters in Paris last weekend to protest the French government's refusal to sign a deportation order for Abdallah.
"This was the first time protesters got arrested for demonstrating near the Interior Ministry," Pojolat added.
He said the French government had adopted a more aggressive approach against movements in support of Abdullah's release since the election of Francois Hollande as president.

The French police said that the arrests had been made because protesters had not received an official permit for a demonstration.
"Why would police attack demonstrators in a violent way just because they don't have a demonstration permit?" asked Pojolat, who was among the protesters that were arrested.
He further viewed that the Interior Ministry's refusal to approve a deportation order was part of the French government's plan to keep Abdullah behind bars. "They don't care about the court's decision; French President Francois Hollande is following American and "Israeli" orders."

Another activist, Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah, said the movements by supporters of Abdullah would stretch across Europe until he was released.
"Demonstrations will not stop, they also took place in Bordeaux and Marseille last week and another one will take place in Toulouse this weekend. It seems the court's decision will be a negative one this month, but we will continue our movements," he vowed.

According to French judicial sources, Abdullah is unlikely to be released this month since the plaintiff in Abdullah's case has appealed the court's latest decision to release him on condition of deportation.

"The appeal was made a few days after the Interior Ministry refused to sign the deportation order," a judicial source said.
Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah said members of the French Communist Party had expressed solidarity toward the case and contacts were ongoing with activists in Lebanon to continue their pressure on French authorities.

Pojolat said that activists in Beirut should continue holding demonstrations in front of the French Embassy. "Protests should go on and become stronger, because the French government's decision is an insult to the Lebanese people," Pojolat added.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the International Campaign to Free George Abdallah met with Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi in Beirut Friday to discuss steps the Lebanese government should take in order to assist Interior Minister Charbel in establishing a ministerial committee.

Source: The Daily Star, Edited by moqawama.org