German MPs seek release of prisoners, judges

BERLIN—German Parliamentarians hoping that Pakistan will go down the path to a free and peaceful future, in a an open letter to President Musharraf have demanded of immediate release of all political prisoners, House Arrest Judges and Lawyers
According to a Press Release issued by Pak-German Council for Culture and Democracy envisaging that a delegation of Pak-German Council met with Christel Riemann-Hanewinckel last month in which they were assured that that members of German Parliament from different political parties will soon issue an open letter to President Musharraf.
After the assurance of Christel Riemann-Hanewinckel, the council in a statement said that six German parliamentarians sent an open letter to President Musharraf demanding President Pervez Musharraf to release all political prisoners, house arrest judges and lawyers.
The letter was sent on Thursday directly to president office per and a copy was sent to the Embassy of Pakistan in Berlin as well.
In a letter, German Parliamentarians said that they are together with those people within Pakistan working to bring about democracy and human rights hoping that the parliamentary elections on 18 February 2008 will be free and fair.
Letter further said that we very much welcome your assurance during your visit to Europe that you would involve all political forces in Pakistan’s democratic future. We would therefore like to ask you to release the political prisoners.
The following prisoners include Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Khalilur Rahman Ramday, Aitzaz Ahsan, BarristerJustice (Retd.) Tariq Mahmood, Ali Ahmad Kurd, Barrister Munir Malik, barrister.
Names of the parliamentarians are Thilo Hoppe, Member Parliament (Green Party) Sybille Pfeiffer, Member Parliament (Christian Democratic Union) Mr. Detlef Dzembritzki, Member Parliament (Social Democratic Party Germany) Mrs. Christel Riemann-Hanewinckel, Member Parliament (Social Democratic Party Germany), Mrs. Ute Koczy, Member Parliament (Green Party) and Heike Hänsel, Member Parliament (The Socialist Party).—Agencies