US human rights activists stage 24-hour vigil in front of Aitzaz's residence

When: 12 noon, December 2 until 12 noon, December 3
Where: 5 Zaman Park, Lahore

Medea Benjamin and Tighe Barry, members of the U.S. human rights group
Global Exchange and the women¹s peace group CODEPINK, came to Pakistan to
learn about the political situation since emergency rule was declared on
November 3. One of the people they are most anxious to meet with is
prominent lawyer/politician Aitzaz Ahsan, who was jailed by the Musharraf
government from November 3 to 25, when he was then placed under house
arrest.

Pakistan government representatives in the US have said that the lawyers
arrested under the emergency law have been released. But when the visiting
human rights activists tried to meet with Aitzaz Ahsan on December 1, they
discovered that his home is still designated a 'sub jail' and he remains
hostage in his own home, unable to go out or to receive visitors. For that
reason the U.S. activists decided to stage a vigil outside his home.

"Pervez Musharrah is telling the world that he is committed to democracy. So
it is outrageous that the head of the nation¹s Supreme Court Bar
Association, Aitzaz Ahsan, remains under house arrest," said Tighe Barry.

"We have come a long way to meet this man who we have heard is one of the
great heroes of the struggle for democracy in Pakistan," said Medea
Benjamin. "We will sit patiently in front of his door and sleep overnight in
front of his door, asking his jailers to allow us in."