Over 100 plus organizations stand with Noor Salman and demand an end to the prosecution against her. If you would like to sign on or get involved, please email westandwithnoor@gmail.com. We are also thankful to ICE Free Queen and IMI Corona for translating the statement into Spanish.

Organizational Endorsement Letter For Noor Salman  

We Stand With Noor Salman

Noor Salman currently stands trial in Orlando, Florida in a case related to the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub by her deceased husband, Omar Mateen. On Monday, January 15, 2017, Ms. Salman, a 31-year-old Muslim mother of a three year old and a domestic violence survivor, was arrested on two charges, which include aiding and abetting Mateen in providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice for providing conflicting statements to the FBI. If convicted of the charges against her, Ms. Salman faces life in prison.

Our organizations work for gender and reproductive justice, LGBTQ justice, racial and economic justice, disability justice, civil rights and human rights in different communities across the United States. We share the grief and pain for those whose lives were lost, those who survived and their loved ones and communities. And, we oppose this prosecution, which scapegoats Ms. Salman in the quest to ensure that someone pay the price for Mateen’s actions. We stand with Noor Salman, a mother and survivor of domestic violence.

The prosecution of Ms. Salman is rooted in gendered Islamophobia and patriarchy. She is  being prosecuted under the guise of guilt by association as a Muslim woman married to a Muslim man who committed mass violence. As noted in theIntercept, there are numerous weaknesses in the prosecution’s case against Salman, which essentially serves as a test case to prosecute partners of accused terrorists on the grounds of complicity. The FBI has aimed to hold girlfriends and wives accountable for their partners’ actions for some time, especially when the couple is Muslim. Furthermore, Ms. Salman’s religious identity has been used by the FBI to threaten her. During the initial interrogation by the FBI which took place over 17 hours in which she was detained and questioned, including hours in which her infant child was present and no legal counsel was present, FBI officials threatened to take her son away from her and place him in a Christian home. She is a victim of the domestic War on Terror, through which the government has used racial and religious profiling tactics to subject Arabs, South Asians, and Muslims to investigations, interrogations, deportations, and prosecutions simply because of their faith, relationships, and guilt by association.

Ms. Salman is also a domestic violence survivor. The government’s charges against Ms. Salman disregard the history of domestic abuse, rape, and threats that Ms. Salman endured during her marriage to Mateen and the impact of intimate partner violence on  her and her child’s life. This abuse has been documented, for example, in a recent New York Times article that reported that “Ms. Salman has said her husband punched her, choked her, threatened to kill her, and coerced her into sex and left her isolated in their home.” Ms. Salman  publicly disclosed the abuse she endured within six months of being married, which included physical abuse during her pregnancy and threats to take sole custody of their child.  Ms. Salman’s cousin, Susan Adieh, also affirmed that Mateen mistreated his wife. Upon seeing the news about the mass shooting, Ms. Adieh worried that “[Mateen] had killed [Ms. Salman] at the house before he went [to Orlando].” Accusations of abuse against Mateen were not only made by Ms. Salman, but by his first wife, Sitora Yusify. Domestic violence expert Jacquelyn Campbell evaluated Ms. Salman’s case, and asserted that based on the dynamics of violence in the relationship, Ms. Salman could not have been aware of Mateen’s plans.

This prosecution punishes Ms. Salman for the actions of Omar Mateen and the violence he inflicted upon those around him, including her. This criminalization of Ms. Salman continues the cycle of dehumanization and terror that she experienced in her marriage to Mateen, and does not allow her to heal and re-build her life. The prosecution of Ms. Salman in today’s climate of Islamophobia and the War on Terror has alarming repercussions for Muslim women and for all survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault who are criminalized for the actions of their abusive partners.

We stand with Noor Salman and demand an end to the prosecution against her.

Estamos en Solidaridad con Noor Salman

Mas de 100 organizaciones nos levantamos en solidaridad con Noor Salman y exigimos un fin al enjuiciamiento en contra de ella. Si usted quiere agregar su firma o mantenerse involucrado, por favor envíenos un correo electrónico a: westandwithnoor@gmail.com

Declaración de Respaldo Organizativo para Noor Salman Estamos en Solidaridad con Noor Salman

Actualmente Noor Salman enfrenta juicio en Orlando, Florida en el caso relacionado con el tiroteo masivo del 2016 en el club nocturno Pulse por su esposo ya fallecido, Omar Mateen. El Lunes 15 de enero del 2017, la Sra. Salman, una mujer musulmana de 31 años de edad, madre de un niño de 3 años y sobreviviente de violencia doméstica, fue arrestada y acusada de dos cargos , incluyendo ayudar e instigar a Mateen en proveer apoyo material a una organización terrorista en el extranjero, y obstrucción a la justicia por proveer testimonio contradictorios al FBI. Si es declarada culpable de los cargos en contra de ella, la Sra. Salman enfrentará una sentencia de cadena perpetua.

Nuestras organizaciones trabajan en defensa a la justicia de género y reproductiva, la justicia de la comunidad LBGTQ, la justicia racial y económica, la justicia de discapacidad,y los derechos humanos y civiles en diferentes comunidades en todos los Estados Unidos. Compartimos el dolor y aflicción por aquellas vidas que se perdieron, por lxs sobrevivientes, sus seres queridxs y sus comunidades. Y también nos oponemos a este juicio, el cual erróneamente culpa a la Sra. Salman en busqueda de que alguien pague el precio por las acciones de Mateen. Estamos en solidaridad con Noor Salman, una madre y sobreviviente de violencia doméstica.

El juicio de la Sra. Salman está enraizado en una islamofobia machista y el patriarcado. Ella está siendo juzgada bajo la excusa de que es culpable por asociación al ser una mujer musulmana casada con un hombre musulmán quien cometió un acto de violencia masiva. Tal como fue reportado en el diario The Intercept , hay varios puntos débiles en el argumento que se están usando para el caso en contra a Salman, el cúal básicamente está sirviendo como un experimento para poder justificar el juicio de las parejas de personas acusadas de terrorismo bajo argumentos de complicidad. Desde hace ya un tiempo el FBI ha buscado culpar y hacer rendir cuentas a las parejas románticas y esposas de personas acusadas de terrorismo, tratando de hacerlas responsables por las acciones de sus esposos, especialmente cuando las personas son musulmanas. Adicionalmente, la identidad religiosa de la Sra. Salman ha sido usada por el FBI para amenazarla. Durante la interrogación inicial, el FBI la detuvo y la interrogó por más de 17 horas, incluso en frente de su hijo menor de edad, y si ningún abogadx presente. El FBI amenazó con separarla de su hijo y mandarlo a un albergue Cristiano. Ella es víctima de la Guerra contra el Terrorismo que ocurre domésticamente dentro de los Estados Unidos, la cual se ha utilizado como estrategia por el gobierno para poner en práctica tácticas de vigilancia de perfil racial y de religión para arrestar a personas árabes, sudasiáticas, y musulmanas para investigarlas, interrogarlas, deportarlas y juzgarlas simplemente por sus creencias religiosa y relaciones, culpándolas por asociación.

La Sra. Salman también es sobreviviente de violencia doméstica. Los cargos del gobierno en contra de la Sra. Salman no toman en cuenta la historia de abuso doméstico, violación, y amenazas que la Sra. Salman a sufrido durante su matrimonio con Mateen y el impacto que la violación por su pareja íntima ha tenido sobre su vida y la de su hijo. Este abuso ha sido documentado, por ejemplo, en un artículo reciente del New York Times , que reporta que “La Sra. Salman ha dicho que su esposo la puñeteo, la ahorcó, la amenazaba con matarla, la forzaba a participar en actos sexuales y la aislaba en su hogar.” La Sra. Salman reveló públicamente el abuso que ella sufrió durante seis meses de matrimonio, el cual incluye abuso físico durante su embarazo y amenazas de perder la custodia de su hijo. La prima de la Sra. Salman, Susan Adieh, también confirmó que Mateen maltrataba a su esposa. Al ver las noticias del tiroteo masivo, la Sra. Adieh estaba preocupada de que “[Mateen] hubiera matado a [la Sra. Salman] en la casa antes de que él fuera a [Orlando].” Las acusaciones en contra de Mateen no solo fueron hechas por la sra. Salman, más también por su primera esposa, Sitora Yulsify. Jacquelyn Campbell, experta en violencia doméstica, evaluó el caso de la sra. Salman, y determinó que basado en las dinámicas de violencia en la relación, la sra. Salman no pudo haber estado al tanto de los planes de Mateen.
Este juicio castigará a sra. Salman por las acciones de Omar Mateen y la violencia que el causo a otrxs a su alrededor, incluyendo a ella misma. La criminalización de la sra. Salman continúa el mismo ciclo de deshumanización y terror que ella vivió durante su matrimonio con Mateen, y no le permite sanar y reconstruir su vida. El juicio de la sra. Salman durante este clima político de islamofobia y de la Guerra contra el Terrorismo tiene repercusiones alarmantes para las mujeres musulmanas y para todxs lxs sobrevivientes de violencia doméstica y de violencia sexual, quienes son criminalizadxs por las acciones de sus parejas abusivas.

Estamos en solidaridad con Noor Salman y exigimos el fin al juicio en contra de ella.

Signed (list in formation),
Firma (lista en proceso),

A Safe Place
About Face: Veterans Against the War
Advocates for Youth
Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
APIENC (API Equaity – Northern California)
Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home)
Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)
Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence
Asian Women’s Shelter
Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project
Black and Pink, Inc.
Boston Feminists for Liberation
BYP100 DC Chapter
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
CodePink
Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS)
Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Community Acupuncture Project
Community Responders Network
Community United Against Violence (CUAV)
CONNECT – Preventing Interpersonal Violence, Promoting Gender Justice
Creative Interventions
DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Defending Rights & Dissent
DIVAS: Discussing Intimate Violence & Accessing Support ~ A Program for Incarcerated Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence
Domestic Harmony Foundation
Dove, Inc.
DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving
18MillionsRising.org
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
Equality Labs
Facing Abuse in Community Environments (FACE)
Feminist Islamic Troublemakers of North America
Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign
Futures Without Violence
Gay Asian Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY)
Gender Violence Clinic, University of Maryland Carey School of Law
Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence
HEART Women & Girls
ICE Free Queens
Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence
Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
IMI Corona, Queens
INCITE! Women & Trans People of Color Against Violence
Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc
International Muslim Women’s Initiative For Self-Empowerment
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Jahajee Sisters
Jewish Voice For Peace
Jewish Voice For Peace DC
Jews Against Anti-Muslim Racism
Justice For Muslims Collective
Kankakee County Coalition Against Domestic Violence / Harbor House
KhushDC
Korean American Coalition to End Domestic Abuse
Law@theMargins
Make The Road NY
Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition
Middle Way House, Inc.
Mijente
Mirror Memoirs
Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition
MPower Change
Muslim Advocacy Network Against Domestic Violence
Muslim Alliance For Sexual And Gender Diversity (MASGD)
Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC)
Muslim Justice League
Muslim Women For
Muslim Women Kreate
Muslim Womxn at Ryerson
Muslimmatters.org
Naree-O-Shonghothok ; Bangladeshi Feminist Collective
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
National Lawyers Guild
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Partnership For The Advancement of New Americans
Philadelphia South Asian Collective
Quanada
Raha Iranian Feminist Organization
RAKSHA
Sakhi for South Asian Women
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
South Asian Youth Action
Southerners On New Ground (SONG)
STEPS to End Family Violence
Sugarlimb Consulting, LLC
Survived & Punished
The Aafia Foundation, Inc.
The Arab American Action Network (AAAN)
The Campaign to TAKE ON HATE
The Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women
The New School Expanded Sanctuary Working Group
Transgender Law Center
Turning Point for Women and Families
Ujima Inc: The National Resource Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community
Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance
WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
War Resisters League
Witness Against Torture
Women of Color Network, Inc.