At London protest, Palestinian father calls on Hewlett-Packard to stop profiting from imprisoned son’s torture

Photo: Inminds

Reprinted from Inminds: https://www.facebook.com/inmindscom/posts/1269243956494564

On Saturday 18th February 2017, Inminds human rights group protested on the Southbank of the river Thames in London to demand the American multi-national Hewlett Packard ( HP / HPE) end its complicity in Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people, in particular end it contracts with the Israeli prison service which is guilty of torturing Palestinian political prisoners, including young children.

Photo: Inminds

Inminds chair Abbas Ali said “The United Nations Rights of the Child reports that Israel abducts, cages, tortures and sexually abuses young Palestinian children in its military prisons. We are here to expose HP’s hidden role in these crimes. They provides the systems and servers that keep these hell holes open. We are also here to demand the immediate release of renowned Palestinian humanitarian Mohammed al-Halabi and British father Fayez Sharary, both of whom have been tortured in HP powered Israeli interrogation centres and are currently languishing in HP powered Israeli prisons.”

Photo: Inminds

In 2014 Mohammed al–Halabi was honoured by the United Nations as its “Humanitarian Hero” for his work with traumatised children in Gaza for the Christian charity World Vision. In June 2016, whilst returning from a World Vision meeting, he was abducted by Israel and severely tortured. In a message read out at the protest, Mohammed’s father Khalail al-Halabi castigated Hewlett Packard’s role in his son’s suffering. “How can the company Hewett Packard be involved in these crimes? Have they no shame, taking advantage of our prisoners? I ask Hewlett Packard to show some humanity and stop profiting from my son’s torture and imprisonment.” He asked for international solidarity for his son’s release “We ask all upholders of peace and justice to stand united alongside us, and to demand Mohammed’s immediate release.”

Photo: Inminds

Laila Sharary, wife of British citizen Fayez Sharary who was abducted and tortured by Israel whilst visiting his elderly parents in Palestine in September 2016, made a passionate plea for her husbands release “I am pleading with the world’s human rights activists to help free my beloved husband, and return him safe and sound to the bosom of his family back here, in London.” She lamented the lack of action by the British government: “While my husband languishes in Ofer prison, the only response I get from the British Consulate in Palestine is that they have no news for me. I urge you treat my husband like you would any other British Citizen.. and make absolutely sure that everything that can be done, is being done to facilitate my husband’s release.”

Photo: Inminds

Inminds chair Abbas Ali concluded “Today’s audience of Londoners and tourists were deeply sympathetic towards the protest, many wishing to donate money, shaking our hands and hugging us to thanks us for exposing Israel’s war crimes and HP’s complicity in them. All vowing to boycott HP. It was an eye opener for people to learn that their friendly printer company has such a dark secret, and they were eager to learn more – over 1200 leaflets were snapped up in two hours, and many people insisted on taking photos of each of our information banners so they could study them at home. We are succeeding at gradually chiselling away at the PR image HP is projecting.”