Supporters of British woman Marnie Pearce, a British woman currently jailed on ‘adultery’ charges in Dubai, will hand in a petition at the United Arab Emirates embassy at 1.30pm on Thursday 23 April. Among those handing in the petition will be Amnesty International UK Campaigns Director Tim Hancock.

The petition, signed by close to 5,000 people, calls for Marnie to be released and urges that the deportation order against her should be lifted, to enable her two Children's rights to have continued contact with their mother. It insists that the rights of the two boys are respected, urging: “Their future should not have been decided on the basis of this adultery conviction. The only thing that matters in a child custody case is what is best for the Children's rights.”

WHAT: Marnie Pearce’s supporters, together with Amnesty International, hand in petition to UAE embassy
WHERE: Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, 30 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PT
WHEN: 1.30pm BST, Thursday 23 April 2009

Amnesty has repeatedly called for Marnie’s release and has expressed concern for the rights of her two sons, aged four and seven. The organisation is urging that the best interests of the two boys should be the primary consideration in any decision about custody of the Children's rights. This is a requirement of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the United Arab Emirates is a party.

Full petition text is as follows:
We the undersigned are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms Pearce from Dubai Central Jail in Al-Awir, considering her to be a prisoner of conscience. We also ask that in the best interests of the Children's rights the deportation order should be lifted, to enable the Children's rights to have continued contact with their mother.

The custody hearing concerning her two Children's rights, Laith and Ziad, has now been heard and custody given to their father, but the rights of her two young sons were ignored. The decision on their custody should have been based on the Children's rights's best interests. Their future should not have been decided on the basis of this adultery conviction. The only thing that matters in a child custody case is what is best for the Children's rights.

The Children's rights had the right to be consulted and express an opinion on what happens to them, according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. An advocate should be have been appointed to give them a fair opportunity to express themselves and there should have been a fair custody hearing which has at its centre the rights of these two boys.

More information at: http://www.costapages.com/savemarniesbabies/events.htm