Anne’s cousin, Mac, has asked us to post about Raymond Davis, the American diplomat that is currently being detained by Pakistan. We were flattered that Mac thought that this little ole soapbox could do some good and were glad to help too. Per the US embassy, as quoted in this BBC news article from Mac:
The United States Embassy in Pakistan calls for the immediate release of a US diplomat unlawfully detained by authorities in Lahore. The diplomat, assigned to the US Embassy in Islamabad, has a US diplomatic passport and Pakistani visa valid until June 2012. When detained, the US diplomat identified himself to police as a diplomat and repeatedly requested immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Local police and senior authorities failed to observe their legal obligation to verify his status.
In the first picture, Ray is shown during predawn preparations for the Tour de Tucson bicycling event. The second picture shows Mac in yellow riding with Ray. In his email, Mac describes how he knows Ray, “He was my neighbor here in AZ and biking buddy, we did a couple of Tour de Tucson’s together. Please pray for his safe return and get as many bikers as you can to do the same.”
I first heard about Raymond Davis through NPR news accounts. The fact that this incident occurred almost upon the 30th anniversary of the release of the US Iranian embassy hostages came almost immediately to mind. I too pray for Raymond Davis and I also pray that this incident does not drag on for 444 days. I also pray for Pakistan. I pray that it averts the abyss that it is hurtling towards.
Thanks Mark nice job
Saw this awful news on facebook.
I am neither religious nor a biker but I will pray in my own way if it helps.
I’m in too!
I’ve been praying for his release as well and will continue until he’s free. It’s great to know I’m not alone.
He is and always will be one of my dearest friends. I’ll pray.
Kibo
I’ve been unable to verify Raymond Davis’s existence for several days, but it looks like there’s data coming out now that he is, in fact a real person. For instance, just today his high school was identified as Powell Valley High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, who lists him as a member of the class of 1993. Given the massive confusion surrounding this case and the amazing inability of our federal bureaucracy to share information, anyone who has information verifying his identity should share it with the US Consulate in Lahore, whose website is http://lahore.usconsulate.org.
Also, please upload your image of Raymond Davis to Wikimedia Commons so that it can be used on his Wikipedia page. I cannot do so because it is not my own work and may be under copyright.
I pray for the safe return of Raymond Davis to the United States of America. This pray is said on behalf of all of us who feel the same way.
I am praying for his release quickly! He deserves our prayers and our respect!!! Thank you for posting this~
To me, Ray is a hero. I live in a neighboring town from this young man’s home town. I pray for his immediate and safe release.
My sons and I pray for Raymond’s safe return nightly. Thanks to people like him we can sleep safely at night. We support him and all the men and women who keep this country safe.
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Happy to see Raymond Davis is on his way home! We wish him luck in moving forward with his family and friends. What a relief!