Ehsan Ali and other leading members of the Awami Action Committee in the Pakistan-administered region of Gilgit Baltistan have been arrested once again. The Revolutionary Communist International is running a solidarity campaign to secure the comrades’ release. Free Ehsan Ali! Hands off the AAC!
This is not the first time comrades of the AAC-GB have faced repression at the hands of the state. They were subjected to a wave of arrests last year and 15 leaders spent months in jail. Following a powerful international campaign, which received support from hundreds of prominent activists, trade unionists and politicians, we were able to secure all the AAC leaders’ release.
We freed our comrades before, we will do it again. But we need your help!
For this campaign to succeed, we need the maximum possible solidarity and pressure. We therefore invite our readers to take the following steps to lend us your support:
- WRITE to politicians, individual trade union/student union leaders, activists and public figures, and ask them to support our campaign! Please let us know of any responses at contact@pakistansolidarity.org. See a list of the campaign’s prominent supporters here.
- CONTACT your Pakistani embassy/consulate/high commission, either individually or on behalf of a trade union/student union/political organisation. Please let us know of any responses at contact@pakistansolidarity.org. You can find a model letter here.
- PASS A MOTION in your trade union/student union and let us know at contact@pakistansolidarity.org You can find a model motion text here.
- GET IN TOUCH with your nearest RCI group and join our protests outside of Pakistani embassies, consulates and high commissions!
Our Demands
- Implementation of the fourteen-point charter of demands previously agreed to by the Gilgit-Baltistan government.
- Immediate and unconditional release of all detained AAC-GB leaders and activists.
- Dropping of all charges against the detained individuals, which appear to be politically motivated.
- Ehsan Ali to be removed from the Fourth Schedule.
- End to harassment and surveillance of AAC-GB members and supporters.
- Respect for democratic rights, including freedom of assembly, expression, and political organisation in Gilgit-Baltistan.