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Original poster

URGENT!! PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TODAY!!! And help reunite Marnie Pearce with her children!

44 replies

BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 11:13

Please everyone, sign the following petition to the UAE Embassy in London, calling for the immediate release of Marnie Pearce from prison in Dubai and for a deportation order to be lifted so that Marnie can be near her children.

www.thepetitionsite.com/14/freedom-for-marnie-pearce

Please also forward this link to your friends.

Thanks!

Marnie Pearce is currently imprisoned unfairly in Dubai on charges of adultery after she insists she was framed by her Egyptian ex-husband so that he could gain sole custody of their children, ages 4 and 7. This week the father was awarded full custody, as under Shariah law a woman automatically loses custody of her children if she is found guilty of adultery, as she is deemed to be an unfit mother... Marnie is set to be deported from Dubai to the UK without her children after completing her sentence in just over a month's time and faces not seeing her boys again until they are legally able to find her at the age of 18. Please help Marnie and her children be together by signing this petition. Please also see the following link to her campaign website:

[www.costapages.com/savemarniesbabies]].

Thank you.

Elizabeth

OP posts:
wannaBe · 28/03/2009 11:15

there have been numerous threads about this along with several support threads but tbh the majority of mn'ers just seem to not be interested.

Beetroot · 28/03/2009 11:16

Do these things work? The petitions?
I never know if it is a waste of time or not.

chequersmate · 28/03/2009 11:18

Just adding to this so I can bump later.

wannaBe · 28/03/2009 11:22

tbh I'm never sure either.

Petitions are all very well, but invariably they're started and signed by people who aren't actually connected to the situation and so to the people receiving them they're just a load of signatures from people who have no interest in the case iyswim.

I think that what is happening to Marnie is horrible. But I think that apart from what is happening to her, there is a wider message, that women should be careful when considering marrying someone from a country where they as women have very few legal rights.

Beetroot · 28/03/2009 11:33

Wannabe I agree. I get sent petitions all the time but I nevr see that they have made a difference - especially in somewhere like Dubai which has very clear rules and traditions

The wider message is very important I agree!

wannaBe · 28/03/2009 11:47

originally my reaction was that the deportation order at least should be lifted, however on reflection I think that Marnie would be better off coming home to the UK where she is more likely to find a sympathetic lawyer and where she at least is in a country that does have rights for mothers and which also does have a relationship with Dubai.

But I think a petition is pointless tbh. I also think that responses on a petition such as "give this woman her children back right now" aren't really going to hold much influence..

chequersmate · 28/03/2009 11:51

But if people want to sign the petition, to show their support, then they should do that

wannaBe · 28/03/2009 11:54

of course.

I just think that people need to realize that a petition for support is different to one that will actually make a difference.

chequersmate · 28/03/2009 11:55

People on mumsnet are a clever bunch wannabe, I'm sure they understand.

Original poster
BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 11:56

Thanks everyone. The petition is certainly not pointless and well worth signing - it will be hand delivered to the UAE Embassy in London and hopefully will receive quite a high profile. Together, everyone's efforts can make a difference.

OP posts:
Original poster
BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 12:19

I would add that this petition has been started by people who are very much involved with Marnie's case - and that the first signatory is Kate Allen (Amnesty International, UK Director). Please forward the link to family and friends and encourage them to sign. Thanks!

OP posts:
wannaBe · 28/03/2009 12:25

What is being done on the dubai end? Have the British embacy there been involved/contacted?

I'm not going to sign the petition because i do think it is pointless. But I do agree that increased publicity can only be a good thing, not only for Marnie but also for other women considering moving to these countries.

However when this case first made it into the press I did email several media outlets about this, bbc/this morning etc to see if they would cover the story but had no reply.

If Amnesty are involved, then perhaps they also need to be a bit more pro-active and see if they can get the case a bit more of a profile in the UK. I'm sure that the news outlets and the talk shows which do have big audiences will be more likely to listen to someone from a known organization than to wannabe off the street thinking it's outragious iyswim.

Beetroot · 28/03/2009 12:30

I tend to agree Wannabe.
Great to add support but not sure what else it will do.
I ight be wrong and I really hope it does make a difference for her and anone else who finds themsleves in this position

years ago we signed a petition to stop VAT on tampons and the like - thousands and thousands of us
It was totally ingnord! Nothing chnaged

Buda · 28/03/2009 12:31

I don't think signing the petition can hurt wannaBe. I have signed. It cost nothing and took just a minute. It has got to be worth a try at least.

Original poster
BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 12:53

Yes the British Embassy in Dubai will have been involved with Marnie's case, though clearly not enough. However, please refer to Marnie's official campaign website for the latest on Marnie's case and they will answer your queries there. Please also let them know any campaign suggestions that you might have.www.costapages.com/savemarniesbabies. As far as I am aware, Amnesty are very involved in promoting this case. I'm sorry that you had no response from the media, but I think you'll find that the media will become more involved as Marnie's campaign gains more momentum. I'm sorry WannaBe that we can't count on your signature, but please everyone, spread the word, sign the petition, encourage others to do the same - together we can make a difference!

OP posts:
Beetroot · 28/03/2009 12:57

Bizzie are you directly involved?

Hassled · 28/03/2009 13:01

Done, but agree it is unlikely to have an impact. Amnesty should really be going to town with this in terms of publicising the case.

Original poster
BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 13:06

Hi Beetroot no I am not directly involved - Marnie is a friend of my sister-in-law's and I am doing what I can to support her campaign and spread the word!

OP posts:
stainesmassif · 28/03/2009 13:25

i don't understand why people are put off signing the petition because they doubt it's impact? it took 30 seconds?? it's a very small thing to do that could have an impact. if it doesn't, what have you lost? 30 seconds of mn ing?

Scotia · 28/03/2009 13:37

Signed.

chequersmate · 28/03/2009 13:50

Exaclty staines, takes longer to post about it being a waste of time that it does to sign it.

B1984 · 28/03/2009 14:11

there is no harm in doing it,it takes few seconds,just done it now!

wannaBe · 28/03/2009 15:20

"I think you'll find that
the media will become more involved as Marnie's campaign gains more momentum."

But Marnie was sentenced in February and the campaign has not gained any momentum despite the fact this was reported in the sun newspaper in mid march. There have been no further newspaper reports, the story did not spread to other sources and there have been no comments from the government.

Why would this be? Why are the media not carrying this? And why are there no reports even on her campaign website of government involvement or even comment? If the media are not reporting this, and the government are not getting involved, there must be a reason. Perhaps because they don't want to upset relations with Dubai ...?

I never said that people shouldn't sign the petition. I just think that giiven the courts have decided, and even the government seem to be refraning from comment, that the signatures of a bunch of unknowns of the great british public will have no impact what so ever.

Once Marnie is back in the UK I am sure that the case could gain more of a profile, but even if Marnie weere released now, she would be unlikely to receive fair treatment in Dubai. therefore she would surely be best off in the UK.

Original poster
BizzieLizzie1 · 28/03/2009 15:22

That's great, those of you who have signed! If you have a facebook account or myspace, twitter, bebo please do what you can to draw attention to the petition and encourage family and friends to sign also. Thanks!

OP posts:
wannaBe · 28/03/2009 15:29

does Marnie have family in the UK?

At the moment there is so little that can be said/done because there doesn't appear to be anyone speaking for her.

If there was a family member, a mother, or sister who would be prepared to put themselves out there and appear on the television/radio then this case would gain more publicity.

Once Marnie is released she herself could appear to talk about what she had been through and raise the profile of her sons that way.

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