French-Palestinian human rights defender and re-arrested former prisoner Salah Hamouri was ordered to three more days under interrogation at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Sunday, 27 August. Palestinian lawyer Mahmoud Hassan, with Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association – where Hamouri is a field researcher – submitted an appeal against the decision. Hamouri has already been held under interrogation at the Moskobiyeh interrogation center for five days since he was seized from his home in the Jerusalem-area village of Kufr Aqab in a pre-dawn raid by Israeli occupation forces on 23 August.
His wife, Elsa Lefort, denied entry to Palestine while pregnant and banned by the Israeli occupation, posted to Facebook urging action by the French government and greater mobilization for his freedom:
**
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network reiterates its urgent demand for the immediate release of Salah Hamouri and all Palestinian prisoners and call for the French state to defend the rights of their citizen and take action for Salah Hamouri’s freedom.
This is only latest act of repression and intimidation carried out by the Israeli state against Hamouri. After six years in Israeli prison amid an extensive grassroots campaign in France for his freedom, Hamouri pursued studying law in order to advocate for fellow prisoners. On 20 August – just days before his arrest – he had just passed the Palestinian bar examination.
He has been an international representative of the Palestinian cause and the prisoners’ struggle, speaking at the World Social Forum in Brazil, large events across France (including the main stage at Fete de l’Humanite) and Israeli Apartheid Week in Belgium in February 2017, among many others.
Organizations and parliamentarians across France are mobilizing to demand Hamouri’s freedom once again and to pressure the French government to take action on this case. The French state must take real action to demand freedom for Salah Hamouri, the Palestinian human rights defender. From the jails and the courts of the occupation to the cities and campuses of the world, he is a consistent and clear voice against oppression and for liberation. Free Salah Hamouri! Libérez Salah Hamouri!
TAKE ACTION
1. SIGN this petition to French president Emanuel Macron and European officials. Demand that they act now to free Hamouri: https://www.change.org/p/emmanuel-macron-demand-the-immediate-release-of-human-rights-defender-salah-hamouri
2. SIGN this French-language petition to the French government to demand they act for Hamouri’s freedom: http://liberezsalahhamouri.wesign.it/fr
3. SEND an individual message to several offices of the French government demanding action. The text below is provided by the Association France-Palestine Solidarite (AFPS).
Write to:
Consulate General of France in Jerusalem by following this link: https://jerusalem.consulfrance.org/Contactez-nous-par-mail
Ministry of Foreign Affairs at this link: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/mentions-legales-infos-pratiques/nous-ecrire/ By filling in the form with the subject line “Français de l’étranger” (French abroad)
Presidency of the Republic: http://www.elysee.fr/ecrire-au-president-de-la-republique/
Monsieur le Consul,
ou Monsieur le Ministre des affaires étrangères
ou Monsieur le Président de la République,
Je viens d’apprendre l’arrestation de Salah Hamouri par le message de son épouse Elsa Lefort, retranscrit ci-dessous :
“Salah Hamouri a été arrêté cette nuit à notre domicile de Jérusalem-Est par l’armée d’occupation venue en grand nombre le cueillir dans son sommeil. Comme souvent, les autorités militaires ne donnent aucun motif à cette arrestation et nous n’avons que peu d’informations au sujet de sa détention, il n’a pu contacter personne. Nous demandons à la France d’agir avec conviction pour protéger et obtenir la libération de notre concitoyen qui subit une fois de plus l’arbitraire israélien.”
L’arrestation de notre concitoyen est inadmissible et insupportable. Les autorités françaises ne doivent pas laisser passer une telle infamie.
Je vous demande d’œuvrer dès aujourd’hui, au nom de la France, pour la libération de Monsieur Salah Hamouri.
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur, l’expression de ma haute considération.
English translation:
Dear Consul (or Minister of Foreign Affairs, or President of the Republic)
I have learned of the arrest of Salah Hamouri through the message of his wife, Elsa Lefort, below:
“Salah Hamouri was arrested last night at our home in East Jerusalem by the occupying army who had come to take him in his sleep. As often occurs, the military authorities gave no reason for the arrest. We are calling upon France to act with conviction to protect and obtain the release of our fellow citizen who is once again subjected to Israeli arbitrary practices.”
The arrest of our fellow citizen is unacceptable and unbearable. The French authorities must not allow such infamous behavior to pass.
I ask you to act today, on behalf of France, for the release of Mr. Salah Hamouri.
Please accept the assurance of my highest consideration.
