Mohammed al-Rimawi and father freed after 20-day hunger strike

Photo: Mohammed Rimawi upon his release. Photo: Wattan TV

Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Rimawi, 27,  and his father, Nimer Rimawi, 54, from the village of Beit Rima, were released on the evening of Tuesday, 7 August after the younger Rimawi went through 20 days on hunger strike under intense interrogation. Rimawi launched his hunger strike as soon as he was seized by Israeli occupation forces on 19 July and was put under interrogation. During the strike, occupation forces then detained his father, Nimer. The detention of his father was used in an attempt to pressure the younger Mohammed to sign a “confession” and to end his hunger strike.

Rimawi, who had previously spent three years in Israeli prison, was released only six months before his re-arrest. He resisted the various attempts to pressure him to confess or end his hunger strike, and successfully won his release. He was taken immediately to a hospital in Ramallah in order to receive medical treatment after a 20-day hunger strike.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network congratulates Mohammed and Nimer Rimawi on their victory of steadfastness inside Israeli occupation prison, and we urge the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.