Cities and groups around the world have joined in the global weeks of action to free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian political prisoners, with more to come in Tunis, Paris, Vancouver, Ann Arbor and more in the next days. Sa’adat is the imprisoned General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a major Palestinian national political leader.
The weeks of action from 15 to 29 January were called by the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat and Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. They mark the 18th anniversary of Sa’adat’s arrest by the Palestinian Authority; he was held in Jericho prison under U.S. and British guard for four years until a brutal Israeli assault kidnapped him and his comrades in 2006. He remains in Israeli jail today, a leader in the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and the liberation movement as a whole.
In Brussels, Secours Rouge organized a protest on 19 January outside the Lebanese Embassy to Belgium, highlighting the call for a day of action to free Sa’adat and Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, the Lebanese Arab Communist struggler imprisoned for 35 years in French prisons. Dozens of people joined in the protest, which also expressed solidarity with the popular protest movement in Lebanon.
In Charleroi, Belgium, members and supporters of the Plate-Forme Charleroi-Palestine took time during their educational meeting about the popular movement in Lebanon to show their solidarity with Georges Abdallah, Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, in Manchester, members of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, the Revolutionary Communist Group and others held a protest and public education table in the center of the city, focusing on solidarity with Cuba and Palestine. Speakers highlighted the case of Ahmad Sa’adat, noting that British and U.S. guards oversaw the imprisonment of Sa’adat and his comrades in PA prisons and withdrew in advance of the Israeli assault. “Sa’adat’s imprisonment was part of the collaboration between the Zionist state, its agents in the Palestinian Authority and U.S. and British imperialism,” the speaker said.
Another Manchester protest will take place on 25 January as part of the international day of action against U.S. imperialist war threats and sanctions on Iran, and this protest will also include solidarity with Palestine and the Palestinian prisoners specifically.
In Ireland, several organizations showed their solidarity with Sa’adat and the Palestnian struggle. Saoradh sent a solidarity message to the PFLP on the anniversary of Sa’adat’s imprisonment, saying: ““We salute the resilient Palestinian people in their struggle for true freedom. Your struggle is our struggle and our struggle is yours. It’s at times like this that international solidarity is vital.”
Éirígí For A New Republic joined the weeks of action, unfurling a banner in solidarity with Palestine and holding posters for the week of action at the Garden of Remembrance as part of the global call to action. “We encourage all civil society groups, organisations and individuals to add their voices to the call for release Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian political prisoners,” they urged.
In Vancouver, the Revolutionary Student Movement displayed a large graffiti mural, “Free Sa’adat!” The movement expressed its support for “the international campaign to free him and the complete liberation of Palestine!” On Tuesday, 28 January, Khaled Barakat, the international coordinator of the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat will speak about the Palestinian political prisoners and the liberation movement.
Events are continuing to take place around the world. See the list below and join in your area.
Actions for the 15-22 January Call to Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian Prisoners
Please let us know about your events! Use this form or email [email protected]. Let us know – whether you’re including this campaign in a larger action or organizing your own action, we want to make sure to spread the word!
- Netherlands (Amsterdam, Den Haag and Rotterdam), 19 January – 29 January, Poster Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat, Tareq Matar and Mays Abu Ghosh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/113024180050107/ - Ann Arbor, Michigan – Saturday and Sunday, 25 and 26 January. Youth for Palestine Conference This conference is organized by Midwest SJP and the Palestinian Youth Movement. Samidoun members will be attending and presenting here and we encourage all to join. University of Michigan -Ann Arbor More info: https://www.youth4palestine.com/
- Tunis, Tunisia – Saturday, 25 January. Solidarity Stand with Ahmad Sa’adat. 4:00 pm, Municipal Theater, Tunis.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/798654993967373/ - Global cities – Saturday, 25 January. Global call: No war on Iran! Check the list of events for an action in your city.
- Manchester, Britain – Saturday, 25 January. Imperialist Hands off Iran – Free Palestine! 12:00 pm, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2576439375943153/ - Paris, France – Sunday, 26 January. Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat and Georges Abdallah! 3:00 pm, Place de la Republique, Paris. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/319279442282196/
- Vancouver, BC, Canada – Tuesday, 28 January. Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat – Freedom for Palestine 7:00 pm, Centre for Socialist Education, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/591115181622292/
We urge all supporters of Palestine and defenders of freedom for the Palestinian people to join us between 15 and 29 January 2020 in weeks of action to free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Completed events:
- Toulouse, France – Saturday, 18 January. Stand Palestine: Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat! 11:00 am, Metro Capitole, Toulouse. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2789999011064518/
- Brussels, Belgium – Sunday, 19 January. Demonstration for Lebanon and Palestine 6:00 pm, Franklin Rooseveltlaan 101, Brussels. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1467621210028698/
- Gothenburg, Sweden – Monday, 20 January. Solidarity Night for Ahmad Sa’adat 6:00 pm, Syndikalistiskt Forum, Linnegatan 21, Gothenburg. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/782847918898925/
- Vienna, Austria – Wednesday, 22 January. Demonstration: Boycotting Apartheid is a Democratic Right! This is a large, collective demonstration in which many organizations will be participating to defend the BDS movement against attempted criminalization in Austria. Samidoun supports this effort and urges all to participate. 4:30 pm, Stephansplatz, Vienna. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/3073423182691843/
