Tag: Political prisoner

Prisoners’ Solidarity Demo

Weekly demo in front of the International Red Cross, Ramallah, to demand the release of prisoners from the Occupation’s jails

24 October 2023 | International Solidarity Movement | Ramallah

The ISM attended the weekly demonstration held in front of the International Red Cross, in Ramallah, to demand the release of prisoners from the Occupation’s jails. When we arrived at the demonstration, a lady called out to me in French – “You’re French? Macron shouldn’t come here, he should go home. It’s a disgrace!”

Macron is currently visiting Ramallah after he held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

This Palestinian lady was brought up by the nuns in Bethlehem, went to their school and speaks excellent French. She still takes great pleasure in reading in French. Like everyone else here, she is scandalised and horrified by the images we see over and over again on all the screens. She took me as a witness to express her revulsion and incomprehension. How can France approve of these massacres of women and children?

She demonstrated in front of the International Red Cross to support the families of the prisoners. Her own son spent 15 years in prison, and many of his friends were caught up in the round-ups that have been taking place every night since 7 October.

The number of prisoners in Israeli jails has doubled in the last 15 days. Many of these captives are being held in administrative detention. Their families no longer have the right to visit them.

On average, one Palestinian in five will spend time behind bars in Israel.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231024-palestinian-prisoners-dies-in-israels-jails-2-weeks-into-his-detention

https://www.btselem.org/administrative_detention

 

Bring Shadi home!

16th October 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Firefund | illegally annexed East Jerusalem, occupied Palestine

Shadi and his friend Ahmad were arrested at a bus stop in Jerusalem. A group of East Jerusalem illegal settlers called police to investigate the two boys, on suspicion of being Palestinian.

In the ensuing process of arrest, interrogation, and abuse, the Israeli police proclaimed that the two boys had gone to Jerusalem with the intent to stab a soldier, and subsequently charged them both with attempted manslaughter. During the interrogation, the boys were shouted at, beaten and given electric shocks. According to Shadi’s family, he still maintains his innocence, but in the Israeli courts, no evidence is needed to convict a Palestinian.

Shadi is now imprisoned in al Masra youth detention centre, a facility for teenagers incarcerated for theft, assault and drug possession, where he suffers from abuse and isolation. His family visits him as often as possible, but travelling from the hometown Kufr Akab to the north of Israel is expensive, and the Farah family has no prospect of paying for a good lawyer to take Shadi’s case.

The reason this can happen is that the Israeli authorities believe the international community doesn’t care. With this campaign, we’re going to prove them wrong!

Costs

Shadi’s unjust incarceration has not been without cost for the family, emotionally as well as economically. The Farah family in general has little money, and the imprisonment of Shadi is a heavy burden on the family’s economy. In order to visit Shadi at the al Marsa detention center, the family has to rent a car and pay for the gas, amounting to about 800 NIS (almost €200) per trip.

The Farah family has already been forced to borrow money in order to cover these expenses, and on top of that they have to finance the expenses of the upcoming trial, amounting to approximately €1000, something that is common practice when it comes to Palestinians.

For the time being, Shadi has been appointed an Israeli lawyer. But as a Palestinian being prosecuted under a racist apartheid system, he will need a good lawyer with expert knowledge and experience in defending Palestinians, if he wants any hope of avoiding prison.

Shadi’s trial has been set to October 27, and it is expected that he will be sentenced to prison for at least two years. After this trial, it will be possible to appeal the case, but the only chance of winning the appeal is to get a good lawyer, which will amount to a minimum of another €3500.

Support Shadi

We are doing this campaign to collect €4500 for Shadi’s legal case and to create awareness about child prisoners in Israel. But only if we reach our goal, the money will be withdrawn and sent to Shadi and his family, so we need your help.

Please support the campaign by pledging and by sharing it!

Let’s tell Israel that they can’t put children in prison without resistance from the international community – let’s #bringShadihome!

Donate now

Mohammed al-Qiq on the verge of death: sign Avaaz petition to demand his freedom NOW!

12th February 2016 |International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | occupied Palestine

 

Journalist, Mohammed al-Qiq, in his hospital bed on the brink of death.
Journalist, Mohammed al-Qiq, in his hospital bed on the brink of death. Photo credit: ALRAY Palestinian Media Agency

33-year-old journalist, Mohammed al-Qiq, is on his 80th day of a hunger strike in protest against his imprisonment without charges or trial. Al-Qiq’s health has deteriorated to the point of facing imminent death.

We are making a call to the international community to sign the Avaaz petition to demand the European Parliament to free Mohammed al-Qiq and demand the European Union to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel until it complies with international law.

In addition, we call all people in the world to organize protests on the streets, in front of Israeli Embassies and Consulates, and Public Squares to demand freedom for Mohammed al-Qiq.

Daily protests have been held during the past week, across the West Bank, Gaza, occupied Jerusalem and at the  Haemek hospital in Israel, where al-Qiq is being held and has been force-fed.

Today is Mohammed al-Qiq’s 80th day of hunger strike and he is on the verge of death!

WE MUST ALL SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION AND TAKE ACTION NOW!

 

Call for Action! Protest to demand Mohammed Al-Qeeq’s freedom!

11th February 2016 | International Solidarity Movement | Palestine

 

33 year old jopurnalist, Mohammed al-Qeeq, in his hospital bed is today near death.
33-year-old hunger-striker political prisoner, Mohammed Al-Qeeq, is today nearing death.

 

URGENT CALL FOR ACTION – Palestinian journalist is nearing death on hunger strike for freedom.

33-year-old Mohammad Al-Qeeq’s health condition is deteriorating rapidly. He has lost over half his body weight, and is unable to see or talk properly; there is imminent threat to his life. An independent doctor visited Al-Qeeq at HaEmek hospital in Afula on Thursday 4 February and said that he appears to be close to death, reported Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR-Israel), who organized the visit. Although Al-Qeeq refused to be examined, visible signs point to severe ill-health.

This is the time for action; this is to time to mobilize for freedom. We call on you, our friends and comrades in the struggle for justice and freedom to act now. Protest at an Israeli consulate or embassy or public square and demand freedom for Mohammed al-Qeeq. Contact government officials and demand that they break their silence on Al-Qeeq and support for Israeli violations of Palestinian rights.

Al Qeeq is from the West Bank village of Dura near Hebron, where he worked as a TV reporter for the Saudi news channel “Almajd.” His wife Fayha Shalash says Israeli soldiers raided their home in Ramallah on the night of November 21, 2015 blowing up the house door and waking up the family, blindfolding Mohammad and arresting him. Al-Qeeq was taken in for interrogation at Israel’s Kishon (Jalame) detention center north of the West Bank. He was not allowed to make contact with either his wife or his attorney for 20 days.

Shalash says her husband is being held without charge or trial for doing his job as a journalist. She says her husband chose to refuse his arbitrary detention and continue to raise his voice by refusing food and refusing to be detained by Israel as punishment for his opinion. Mohammad began refusing food on the 25th of November 2015, protesting the conditions of his interrogation and unlawful detention. Al Qeeq told his lawyer he was interrogated and accused of media incitement, and that interrogators threatened to rape him and assault his wife if he does not confess to incitement. Al Qeeq said the interrogators told him that he had two options: to confess to incitement or face up to 7 years in administrative detention. He had no option but to go on hunger strike.

Ashraf Abu Snaneh, Al-Qeeq’s lawyer, says Israel is using administrative detention as a peg to silence the journalist and is forbidding him from due legal process. “If the Israeli security apparatus has evidence against Mohammad they should bring it forward to court and at least give him the right to fight for his innocence at court, but holding him on so-called secret files is unfair and unlawful.”

ACT NOW TO SAVE HIS LIFE ACT NOW FOR FREEDOM AND JUSTICE