Frequently Asked Questions

How does CCF determine that someone is a political prisoner, and how does CCF decide which cases/prisoners to support?

CCF considers any individual who was targeted by the government because of his or her associations, political beliefs, religious affiliation, or exercise of free speech as a political prisoner, particularly in the context of the domestic “War on Terror.” These may also include victims of "preemptive prosecution," who are arrested in terror plots entirely conceived, planned, and thwarted by the FBI.

Many of these prisoners are vulnerable young Muslim men who may suffer from a history of mental health issues and thus become easy targets of the government. Oftentimes, the only evidence used against them are inflammatory comments they have made at the prodding of an informant.

We consider the cases to be political in nature because of the politics driving these national security cases and Muslims essentially experiencing a separate system of justice—going back to the use of secret evidence in immigration courts in the late 1990’s.

CCF legal director Kathy Manley, who created a database of these post-9/11 terrorism prosecutions, carefully reviews each case before adding it to our list of Coalition-supported cases. Currently there are about 200 prisoners on our list.

For more information, please read CCF’s report, "Inventing Terrorists: The Lawfare of Preemptive Prosecution,” and the following article by CCF Board chairman Steve Downs about a few of the cases we support: https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/01/28/the-nine-worst-lawfare-injustices-in-the-us-and-what-they-tell-us-about-ourselves/
I am a prisoner or a family member of a prisoner. How can CCF support my case?

CCF offers prisoners and their families support in a number of ways. You may read about some of our direct prisoner and family support efforts here on our website, which also include some legal support.

Finally, our educational efforts, grassroots campaigns, and legislative advocacy are among a number of other ways in which our work can be used in service of you or your family members.

If you are a prisoner or an impacted family member looking for support, and you believe your case is political in nature, please contact CCF at prisoners@civilfreedoms.org.
What can I do to support CCF or political prisoners?

CCF is an organization founded and run largely by political prisoners and their families, for political prisoners and their families. We have limited resources, so we rely on donations from generous people who believe in the importance of this work. Head over to our Donation page to make a tax-deductible contribution.

Our work also relies on volunteers who are willing to organize campaigns and educational events in their local communities. If you are interested in organizing a campaign for a prisoner with CCF’s help, please email us at prisoners@civilfreedoms.org, and if you’d like to organize an event, please head over to our Events page and fill out the contact form there.

Finally, the least one can do is stay informed on these issues affecting families in our communities. Subscribe to our news digest and follow us on social media to ensure you stay up to date with our original reporting and media coverage of our political prisoners and the policies affecting our communities!
I run an organization that may be interested in joining CCF. How do I do that?

If you would like your organization to join our coalition, please email us at info@civilfreedoms.org
If I have been visited or contacted by the FBI, can CCF help me?

If you have been visited or contacted by the FBI, you may contact CCF’ s legal team at legal@civilfreedoms.org to request to meet with an attorney regarding your rights. Until then, you should exercise your right to refuse to speak with the FBI agents, politely ask for their business card, and inform them that they will be hearing from your attorney.
Is CCF Zakat eligible?

Yes.