Texans Call for Release of All Iraqi Prisoners: Peace Group Founder Recently in Iraq

Texans for Peace, Texas' largest peace organization, is calling for an immediate release of all prisoners held by U.S. forces in Iraq.

AUSTIN, TX (PRWEB) January 30, 2006 -- On the day when a new video surfaced showing American hostages in Iraq, Texans for Peace is calling for an immediate release of all Iraqis held without charges in U.S. prisons in Iraq.

“Since the election of a democratic government in Iraq, there is no longer a justification for the U.S. to be running prisons in that country,” said Charlie Jackson, Texans for Peace founder.

“While we applaud the release of many prisoners this week, the illegal detention of more than 14,000 Iraqi citizens continues. These prisons and the detainees should immediately be turned over to Iraqi government officials for adjudication.” This includes Tariq Aziz, former Deputy Prime Minister under Saddam, who has not been charged after three years of incarceration and reportedly suffers from ill health.

Texans for Peace’ statement calling for release of Iraqi prisoners follows those of other leaders who have worked in Iraq, including Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck, former United Nations Humanitarian Coordinators in Iraq.

Mr. Jackson was recently in Iraq on his third trip as a member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) September delegation. Among their activities was continued investigation into human rights abuses in U.S. and Iraqi detention facilities.

Four members of CPT, including one American, have been held hostage since November 26 and their captors have threatened to kill them unless Iraqi prisoners are released. Those who kidnapped Jill Carroll, a American journalist from the Christian Science Monitor, have also demanded prisoner releases.

“These humanitarian peacemakers and journalists are in Iraq working with the poor, investigating abuses within the prisons, and seeking the release of those oppressed by the war. They understand that getting to the truth about what is happening in Iraq and working towards peace requires more dedication and perseverance than those who make war and terror,” said Jackson.

Texans for Peace has active in the issue of the war in Iraq since Mr. Jackson’s first visit in 2002. They are currently planning a statewide “End the War in Iraq” petition drive in addition to a host of other activities to bring an end to the occupation and return Texas soldiers to their families. More about their activities can be found at http://www.texansforpeace.org and http://www.texansforpeace.org/endthewar    

About Texans for Peace
Texans for Peace (http://www.texansforpeace.org) is the state’s largest peace organization “for Texans who believe in peace and social justice.” Headquartered in Austin, Texans for Peace provides programs, education, and action on a wide range of issues while at the same time working to strengthen peace and nonviolence throughout the state. Although the organization primarily focuses on local issues, Texans for Peace also represents the face of “friendship” (the state motto of Texas) throughout the U.S. and the world.

About Charlie Jackson
Charlie Jackson is a sixth-generation Texan and international technology consultant. He recently returned from his third peace delegation to Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (http://www.cpt.org), a multi-religious peace organization headquartered in Chicago. He is the founder of Texans for Peace, and supports other national and regional peace organizations.

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