Truth Is On The Side Of The Oppressed... #FreeMarziehHashemi

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Ashkan Dana is with Marzieh Hashemi and Nana Asante Sakinah Al-Nisaa Rasheed
Abdel Malik Ali
Imam Abdul Ali....

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Melanie Franklin(Marzieh Hashemi) who had been traveling within the United States to visit with her ill brother and other relatives was detained in a Saint Loui...

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[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

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Abu Ruyaa

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[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

In The Name of the Most High

Our mother, Marzieh Hashemi, is an African-American Muslim journalist who is visiting her family in the United States, including her ailing brother and her grandchildren. On Sunday January 13th, she was detained at St Louis airport and transferred to a Washington DC facility by the FBI. She is not being held for any charges.

We were given little to no information from officials for close to two days and have received only one phone call from her on January 15th, when she described civil and religious rights violations by the authorities. At that time, she told us her hijab was removed against her will and she was forced to take a mug shot without her hijab. She was given short-sleeved clothing that does not comply with her religious dress code and she had to wrap a t-shirt on her head as a temporary covering. The authorities have refused to give her halal or vegetarian meals, effectively denying her food up until last spoken to. 

At the time of the phone call she had not been charged with any crime and the reason for her detention is still unclear.

We are gravely concerned that our mother’s civil and religious rights have been violated. To forcibly remove a woman’s clothing in this manner is a deeply distressing and violating experience.

Our mother is a 59-year-old American born, US citizen, who has been living in Iran working as a journalist and often travels home to the United States to visit family and friends. She should be able to do this without fear of her civil and religious rights being violated. We are at a complete loss as to why an internationally recognized journalist would be arrested in this manner and call for her immediate release.

She has been appointed a public attorney, however her case may require further legal action and we are looking into hiring other lawyers to help ensure she is released as soon as possible. Her children are also in need of attorneys.

Please help in any way you can to help cover the legal costs related to this. Thank you.



***Updates***


Jazakallah and thank you for everyone’s quick responses. May you be rewarded in this world and the hereafter. Her family have had a last minute meeting with another lawyer and have decided to go with him, so they have reduced the amount needed. We feel this go fund me page will reach and probably exceed its goal quickly. We are therefore reducing the goal to $30,000 as we are not comfortable if it grows too much in excess of what we need. Of course, lawyer fees can exceed the initial amount quickly if the case is prolonged, and there are various travel and auxiliary costs that add up quickly. We will cross that bridge when we get there. We have also been advised that Marzieh Hashemi’s children may be able to get by with public defenders, at least for the time being. Therefore, before this grows too fast we are lowering the goal. Thank you. Your prayers and warmth has made the largest difference in these trying times.

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

May peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, his pure progeny, and his loyal companions.

We wanted to thank everyone again for the outreach and support for our mother, Marzieh Hashemi. It has been overwhelming, and is, in fact, making all the difference.

We have also seen significant media exposure for Marzieh Hashemi, although we have ourselves held back from speaking to the media over the past few days due to legal concerns. We will be happy to be more candid once these concerns subside.

The media exposure has been extremely helpful, in a very real way. The prison where she is being held is now making special arrangements for her food to be halal. They have also finally facilitated her requests regarding hijab. We do not think this would have been possible without media exposure and community pressure.

We have multiple lawyers and legal experts now involved in her case at the same time. These are seasoned individuals with high security clearance that allows them the necessary access they need to try and resolve this case on the legal front.

Alhamdulillah our mother has access and exposure, but there are unfortunately many Muslims in American prisons who need similar accommodations that are never arranged for them. Many Muslims in American prisons who do not, and cannot afford the most qualified legal teams. Our main worry should be with them.

They are invisible, and may go years without their religious requests taken seriously by anyone. Perhaps our mother’s imprisonment will bring exposure to these less known members of our community, and encourage on the ground activism to ensure the rights of these brothers and sisters.

We are all responsible for their wellbeing. These are the people that our mother speaks to us about most often, and tells us not to forget them, not to ignore them.

For us; Hossein, Sarah, and Reza Hashemi, this is not just about our mother. Her case highlights a larger constitutionally legitimized process by way of which people who have not committed a crime can be put in prison through legal means. They can be kept in prison for an indefinite period of time, and all of this is deemed legal and legitimate under U.S. law. This is highly problematic and can effect any one of us at any time.

We believe that it is imperative, especially for marginalized people in the United States of America to understand these controversial laws pertaining to being a “material witness” and other laws that can lead to our detention even if we have done nothing wrong.

We echo the voice of many legal and rights advocacy groups in the United States that find the constitutionality of these laws highly problematic, and, moving forward, we intend to assist organizations that are challenging this legal loophole.

At the moment, we are led to believe that Marzieh Hashemi’s release this coming week is a possibility, although nothing is for certain. We also believe that we are in a strong position on the legal front in general. This is certainly a result of community support.

Again, we don’t know anything for certain about her release. We were able to speak to her on the phone a second time on Friday 18 January. Her overall condition seems to be okay at the moment, but she did seem quite tired.

What is most difficult for us to grapple with is the fact that our mother will remain in prison for the duration of the legal proceedings, however long it may be, despite the fact that she has not been charged with any crime.

We will go forward by placing all this in Allah’s hands, for we plan and they plan, but He is the best of planners.

في أمان الله الكريم

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[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Abu Ruyaa

26 mins ·

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Global Call To Action: FRIDAY, JAN 25th
Communities all over, outraged by the unjust imprisonment and harsh interrogations of Marzieh Hashemi, have been expressing their eagerness to mobilize and send a unified message. As such, we the family of Marzieh Hashemi, are dedicating our selves towards this noble effort. With the help of some of our most active brothers and sisters, and the guidance of ulama around the globe, we are designating Friday the 25th of January a day of action and protest. For information or to become an active organizer of action in your area please contact
[e-mail]. You may also contact designated organizers once that list begins to circulate.
و مكروا و مكرالله والله خير الماكرين
But they plan and Allah plans and Allah is the best of planners.
Quran 8:30