Alex Aan update

Written by administrator | 31 October 2012

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Atheist Alliance International is pleased that a friend and supporter of Alex's was able to visit him in prison recently.  Thank you everyone who sent in messages of support for Alex - the second set has now been delivered.  Here is an update about Alex:

"Alex is in good spirits and is very much his old self. I had a nice long chat with him. His burning ambition remains to work to relieve poverty and injustice. He is very interested in the situation in Iran and wants to fight for the people there. He has heard of a journalist who has been imprisoned and is also deeply shocked by the executions there. He is horrified by the idea of stoning in particular. This was one of the things that made him question the morality of religion. “How can anyone,” he said, “pick up a stone without thinking about their mother or their sister?”.  I told him about the case of Malala Yousufzai in Pakistan and he was deeply moved. Once again, his main concern and the thing he wants to talk about most of all is the plight of others. 

"He told me again how much the support from around the world inspires him and keeps him going. He sends you all he love and thanks. The scholarship fund has been a strong motivator and he promised that he will always work for humanity and for science.

"Alex is really keen about resuming his studies and wants to spend his time preparing for it. Although he wanted to study physics he was precluded because of the unbelievably weird system in Indonesia of excluding people who are colour blind! That is why he studied statistics and developed a deep love of mathematics. He would still love to have the chance to study physics, though."

If you would like to send a message of support to Alex email it to info [at] atheistalliance [dot] org with the subject line "Message for Alex".  Also, AAI is running two appeals to help Alex - one to assist with his legal and other expenses while in prison (Legal/Support Fund) and one to assist him to study outside Indonesia after his release (Scholarship Fund).  All donations are appreciated - you can donate through the AAI website here.