UPDATE, 10 June 2019: Hassan al-Aweiwi suspended his hunger strike after 69 days after concluding an agreement to end his administrative detention. All of our salutes to Hassan al-Aweiwi and all Palestinian prisoners struggling for justice and liberation.
Palestinian prisoner Hassan al-Aweiwi is on his 68th day of hunger strike, protesting his imprisonment without charge or trial under Israeli administrative detention. On Thursday, 6 June, Aweiwi was transferred to a civilian hospital, Barzilai, after the severe deterioration of his health after over two months without food. He is currently being held in Ramle prison clinic.
Hassan Abed Rabbo of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Commission said that Aweiwi, 35, had lost over 20 kilograms since he launched his hunger strike. The married father of three from al-Khalil was seized by Israeli occupation forces on 15 January 2019 and transferred to administrative detention – imprisonment without charge or trial. There are currently approximately 500 Palestinians, out of a total of 5,400 Palestinian prisoners, held under administrative detention. Detention orders can be issued for up to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians have been jailed for years at a time under administrative detention.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society said that since Aweiwi launched his strike on 2 April 2019, he has been subject to numerous retaliatory measures by Israeli prison authorities, including throwing him in isolation, transferring him from prison to prison, denying him family visits and delaying his legal visits. The transfer process for Palestinian prisoners uses a “bosta,” a metal vehicle that is poorly ventilated and extremely hot in the summer, and “bosta” journeys often involve many stops that make the trip extremely lengthy.
Aweiwi’s wife, Maysaa, has spoken to the Palestinian media, urging greater attention to the situation of her husband and other Palestinians in Israeli jails. He has spent three years in Israeli prison under multiple arrests, mostly in administrative detention.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges all to stand with Hassan al-Aweiwi, whose life and health is on the line to confront the unjust system of Israeli administrative detention. International solidarity can provide an important boost to Palestinian prisoners like Awewi and contribute to their struggle, so all of our participation, protests, petitions and phone calls can play a role in helping him to achieve victory for justice and freedom.
Take action!
1) Organize or join an event or protest for the Palestinian prisoners. You can organize an info table, rally, solidarity hunger strike, protest or action to support the prisoners. If you are already holding an event about Palestine or social justice, include solidarity with the prisoners as part of your action. Send your events and reports to [email protected].
2) Write letters and make phone calls to protest the violation of Palestinian prisoners’ rights. Demand your government take action to stop supporting Israeli occupation or to pressure the Israeli state to end the policies of repression of Palestinian political prisoners. In particular, demand that your political officials put pressure on Israel to end the policy of administrative detention, the imprisonment of Palestinians without charge or trial.
Call during your country’s regular office hours:
• Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne: + 61 2 6277 7500
• Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland: +1-613-992-5234
• European Union Commissioner Federica Mogherini: +32 (0) 2 29 53516
• New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters: +64 4 439 8000
• United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt: +44 20 7008 1500
• United States President Donald Trump: 1-202-456-1111
3) Boycott, Divest and Sanction. Join the BDS campaign to highlight the complicity of corporations like Hewlett-Packard and the continuing involvement of G4S in Israeli policing and prisons. Build a campaign to boycott Israeli goods, impose a military embargo on Israel, or organize around the academic and cultural boycott of Israel. Learn more about the BDS campaign at bdsmovement.net.
Downloadable materials:
Flyer on the hunger strikes: Download PDF
https://samidoun.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/aweiwi.pdf
Download: Poster/Sign – Free All Palestinian Prisoners
https://samidoun.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/SAMIDOUNsign-FreeAllPalestinianPoliticalPrisoners-FreePalestineFromTheRiverToTheSea-4-6-16.pdf
Download: Poster/Sign: Free Hunger Strikers and All Prisoners
https://samidoun.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/SAMIDOUNsign-FreeHungerStrikersAndAllPoliticalPrisoners-4-6-16.pdf
Download: Poster Sign: End Administrative Detention
https://samidoun.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/SAMIDOUNsign-EndAdministativeDetentionDismantleTheIsraeliPrisonRegime-4-6-16.pdf
