ADC Welcomes DOJ’s Decision to Drop Charges
Against Palestinian Professor 

Washington, DC | www.adc.org | July 1, 2014 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the decision by the Department of Justice to dismiss all charges against Palestinian professor and civil rights activist Sami Al-Arian.  On Friday, June 27th, federal prosecutors moved to drop the charges, and United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga finally dismissed the indictment.  ADC congratulates Dr. Arian, his family, and his legal team for the long-awaited legal victory.

Dr. Al-Arian’s case is a troubling example of the discrimination and mistreatment that Arabs have faced since 9/11. He was targeted by the U.S. government for many years and his criminal contempt case was prolonged for an extended period of time.  Al-Arian’s lawyer, Jonathan Turley, said the case was “one of the most disturbing cases of [his] career in terms of the actions taken by our government.”

Dr. Al-Arian’s family released the following statement on June 27, 2014:

We are glad that the government has finally decided to drop the charges against Sami Al-Arian. It has been a long and difficult 11 years for our family in what has ultimately been shown to be a political case. We are relieved that this ordeal finally appears to be at an end. We hope that today’s events bring to a conclusion the government’s pursuit of Dr. Al-Arian and that he can finally be able to resume his life with his family in freedom.

We are so grateful to our brilliant attorney, Jonathan Turley and his legal team for their tireless efforts and advocacy on our behalf. Thank you to all of our supporters around the country and across the globe, who have stood behind us throughout the years.