Book Launch for Shukri Abu Baker, Palestinian Prisoner

Shukri Abu Baker is a Palestinian political prisoner, writer, artist, humanitarian, and beloved father, husband, brother, and friend. As CEO of the Holy Land Foundation, once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S., he was targeted in the post-9/11 crackdown, arrested alongside four colleagues, and wrongfully convicted of “material support for terrorism” in a politically motivated trial. Along with Ghassan Elashi, he remains imprisoned 17 years later in the notorious “Bloody Beaumont” federal penitentiary, just an hour away from Houston. Their continued imprisonment is a daily crime we cannot ignore.

Featuring:

𝐍𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 is an activist and the proud daughter of Shukri Abu Baker. She has dedicated her life to fighting for the Holy Land Five and ensuring her father’s voice reaches far beyond the Pr*son cell.

𝐄𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 “𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐝” 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐳 was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 20 years. Asad spent 7 years of his incarceration as Shukri Abu Baker’s cellmate and is bonded to him for life. Since his release in 2024, he has dedicated his life to Pr*son reform and securing the freedom of Shukri and Ghassan of the Holy Land Five.

𝐀𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐧, a nephew of Shukri Abu Baker has been visiting Shukri in “Bloody Beaumont” since he was transferred there in 2014. Ahmad has been working to help get Shukri’s book published since early last year and is dedicated to securing the freedom of the remaining imprisoned members of the Holy Land Five.

Program highlights:

- Panel discussion with Nida Abu Baker, Edward “Asad” Martinez and Ahmad Chabkoun

-Poetry reading from Shukri’s work

- Letter writing to Shukri and Ghassan

- Fundraising for The Sameer Project @thesameerproject

- Book sales of Light From Deep Under

Host or Publisher Texas Prison Project & Students for Justice in Palestine