Help Mustafa Kassem's Family
Tax deductible
On January 13, 2020, American Mustafa Kassem died in an Egyptian prison, believing in vain that his American citizenship would protect him. Mustafa was my pro bono client and never should have been in prison. Now, his wife and two kids have not only lost their husband and father, but also their primary means of support. On top of all this, his wife is now recovering from breast cancer. They need your help.
100% of your tax-deductible contribution will go to support Mustafa's family in their difficult transition to life in New York without Mustafa.
I took Mustafa on as a pro bono client after hearing of the horrific circumstances of his arrest. On August 14, 2013, while visiting family in Egypt, he went to exchange some money before his planned return to the United States the next day. Walking back to his car, Egyptian authorities stopped him and demanded to see identification. He showed his U.S. passport, believing it would offer him protection. Instead, they threw his passport to the ground, stomped on it, and began severely beating him before taking him away for further abuse and interrogation. His relatives were able to finally locate him in a detention facility several days later. But Mustafa was rendered barely recognizable from the extensive bruising and swelling. He needed support just to stand up.
Mustafa's only crime was being an American at the wrong place and the wrong time. While in custody, Mustafa lived in crowded cells and with little access to proper medicine, friends, or family. After five long years, he was convicted in a sham of a trial that involved more than 700 co-defendants.
Immediately after his conviction, Mustafa, a diabetic, began a hunger strike and appealed to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other U.S. lawmakers to intervene on his behalf. Despite calls from Vice President Pence and the efforts of other U.S. officials and members of congress, Kassem died in custody under circumstances that Senator Patrick Leahy called "a monumental, unforgiveable travesty", adding that, "[h]is death should be ruled a homicide. It was as preventable as his imprisonment was unlawful".
To date, President Trump has not condemned Egypt's actions nor has his administration secured any accountability for Mustafa's prolonged custody, mistreatment, and eventual death.
After his death, the family had this to say about their patriarch:
"We will always teach Mustafa's children this about their father: Mustafa fought to the end, believing that America would show its greatness by fighting tooth and nail for him. We hope that America will someday live up to this challenge."
Please join me in helping raise money to help Mustafa's family. They will need considerable help from family and a supportive community. Pretrial Rights International - a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charity that I am a part of - will collect and distribution the donations. 100% of the funds will go to help Mustafa's family.
Thank you for your generosity!
Praveen Madhiraju
100% of your tax-deductible contribution will go to support Mustafa's family in their difficult transition to life in New York without Mustafa.
I took Mustafa on as a pro bono client after hearing of the horrific circumstances of his arrest. On August 14, 2013, while visiting family in Egypt, he went to exchange some money before his planned return to the United States the next day. Walking back to his car, Egyptian authorities stopped him and demanded to see identification. He showed his U.S. passport, believing it would offer him protection. Instead, they threw his passport to the ground, stomped on it, and began severely beating him before taking him away for further abuse and interrogation. His relatives were able to finally locate him in a detention facility several days later. But Mustafa was rendered barely recognizable from the extensive bruising and swelling. He needed support just to stand up.
Mustafa's only crime was being an American at the wrong place and the wrong time. While in custody, Mustafa lived in crowded cells and with little access to proper medicine, friends, or family. After five long years, he was convicted in a sham of a trial that involved more than 700 co-defendants.
Immediately after his conviction, Mustafa, a diabetic, began a hunger strike and appealed to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other U.S. lawmakers to intervene on his behalf. Despite calls from Vice President Pence and the efforts of other U.S. officials and members of congress, Kassem died in custody under circumstances that Senator Patrick Leahy called "a monumental, unforgiveable travesty", adding that, "[h]is death should be ruled a homicide. It was as preventable as his imprisonment was unlawful".
To date, President Trump has not condemned Egypt's actions nor has his administration secured any accountability for Mustafa's prolonged custody, mistreatment, and eventual death.
After his death, the family had this to say about their patriarch:
"We will always teach Mustafa's children this about their father: Mustafa fought to the end, believing that America would show its greatness by fighting tooth and nail for him. We hope that America will someday live up to this challenge."
Please join me in helping raise money to help Mustafa's family. They will need considerable help from family and a supportive community. Pretrial Rights International - a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charity that I am a part of - will collect and distribution the donations. 100% of the funds will go to help Mustafa's family.
Thank you for your generosity!
Praveen Madhiraju
Organizer
Praveen Madhiraju
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Pretrial Rights International
Beneficiary