Your Action Needed Now to Support Pakistani Women's Rights Activist

New Action:

From Defender Alert Network:

The Pakistani government is trying to silence human rights
defender Mukhtar Mai, whose courage and refusal to be silenced
has increased international attention to abuses against women in
Pakistan.

In 2002, Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped on orders of a traditional
village council as punishment for acts allegedly committed by
her younger brother. She courageously testified in court against
the men responsible for her rape, and using compensation money
built schools for girls and boys and started a shelter for
abused women. She has emerged as a powerful symbol of the
brutality and blatant inequality of the justice administered by
tribal councils in rural Pakistan.

Earlier this month, Mukhtar Mai was put on Pakistan's "exit
control list," notorious for preventing government critics from
leaving the country, in response to her plans to speak about her
experiences in the United States. On Thursday June 9, Mukhtar
Mai was placed under strict police watch and prevented from
leaving her home, and was later taken to an undisclosed location
by government officials.

At a June 14 press conference, a government representative
announced that restrictions on Mukhtar Mai's movement would be
lifted, but that a police squad would accompany her for her own
protection. She tearfully told Pakistani human rights activists
that she had faced significant pressure from the Pakistani
government to sign a letter withdrawing her visa application to
the United States.

Human Rights First condemns the silencing of Mukhtar Mai. Join
us in taking action to demand that Mukhtar Mai's rights are
protected, and that she be free to travel to speak about her
experiences.

Click Here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/Op2EMVn1Xqu7/

Click here to learn more about Mukhtar Mai:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/W12EMVn1Xquu/