Organizers and activists around the world are joining the video campaign to call for the immediate release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association along with many activists in Palestine launched a call for people around the world to record themselves in short videos and post them using the hashtag #FreeOurPrisoners. The appeal has found a strong response around the world, especially amid the threat that the global COVID-19 pandemic presents to Palestinian prisoners suffering in unsafe, unsanitary conditions amid institutional Israeli medical negligence.
Samidoun’s U.S. coordinator, Joe Catron, recorded a video urging the prisoners’ release:
From NYC, I salute over 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli detention and join @Addameer in demanding their freedom. #FreeOurPrisoners pic.twitter.com/rxjsfRpffv
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) April 2, 2020
As did the comrades of Collectif Palestine Vaincra, members of the Samidoun Network in France:
Le Collectif Palestine Vaincra s'associe à l'appel d'@Addameer afin d'exiger la libération de tou·te·s les prisonniers palestiniens qui font face à la gestion raciste et répressive de l'épidémie de COVID-19 par l'occupation israélienne !#FreeOurPrisoners #COVID_19 pic.twitter.com/cFoJaT8ctx
— Collectif Palestine Vaincra (@CollectifPV) April 2, 2020
In the United States, organizations like the Palestinian Youth Movement and Students for Justice in Palestine in Chicago joined the call for the prisoners’ freedom:
We demand the IMMEDIATE FREEDOM of all Palestinian prisoners in Zionist prisons being subjected to harsh conditions & medical neglect that is only exacerbated by COVID-19! We call on all allies, friends & comrades to join us in an urgent campaign to free all Palestinian prisoners pic.twitter.com/r22dptynTe
— PYM (@palyouthmvmt) April 5, 2020
@Addameer We stand in solidarity with with 5000 Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli jails and demand for their release due to COVID19. #freeourprisoners #covid19 #freepalestine #sjpchicago #palestine pic.twitter.com/1cGAVQ0H4V
— SJP Chicago- طلاب لأجل العدالة في فلسطين (@sjpchi) April 5, 2020
Mario Martone of Scientists for Palestine spoke about the campaign, discussing the threat of the spread of COVID-19 in Ofer prison and throughout the system and the imprisonment of Palestinian-American researcher Ubai Aboudi:
From Mario Martone, release Palestinian prisoners and save them from the corona-virus.
Take a short of video of yourself, less than one minute, and post it on your social media accounts.#FreeOurPrisoners #COVID_19 pic.twitter.com/pAxLKaf9ao— Addameer –الضمير (@Addameer) April 2, 2020
Aboudi’s family also joined the campaign, with Khaled, Ubai’s son, sending a message for freedom via video:
Khalid sending a message about his father who is a Palestinian prisoners. "My name is Khalid, I’m the son of Palestinian Prisoners Ubai Aboudi, meaning that I haven’t seen him for a long him, it also means that I’m scared for him from corona, release my dad."#FreeOurPrisoners pic.twitter.com/SoqhuAlDWw
— Addameer –الضمير (@Addameer) April 2, 2020
The Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) joined the campaign with a video message from its general secretary Carmelo Suarez supporting Palestinian prisoners:
The Partido Comunista de los Pueblos de España (@webpcpe) and its general secretary, Carmelo Suarez, join the campaign to #FreeOurPrisoners – expressing solidarity and calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.@Addameer pic.twitter.com/aHR3smDLcW
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 7, 2020
The International Union of Pensioners and Retirees – Pensionistas y Jubilistas, affilated to the World Federation of Trade Unions also urged freedom for imprisoned Palestinians:
The International Union of Pensioners and Retirees – Pensionistas y Jubilistas, affilated to the #WFTU #FSM – calls for the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners! #FreeOurPrisoners @Addameer pic.twitter.com/qJUxbwBDaV
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 7, 2020
The Internationalist Anti-Imperialist Front (FAI) also issued calls in Spanish, English and French urging the immediate liberation of Palestinian prisoners:
Manuel Pardo of Cadiz and writer Sara Rosemberg of Madrid also joined in the videos of the FAI:
Manuel Pardo of the Internationalist Anti-Imperialist Front (@FAI_analisis ) expresses his solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, urging their immediate release. #FreeOurPrisoners @Addameer pic.twitter.com/wAtmcpJRZN
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 8, 2020
Sara Rosemberg of the @FAI_analisis (Internationalist Anti-Imperialist Front), a writer in Madrid, calls for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails #FreeOurPrisoners pic.twitter.com/Ssud6LD0sP
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 8, 2020
Jose Luis Ruiz of GUK alliance in Getxo (Basque Country) called for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners:
Jose Luis Ruiz of GUK in Getxo demands liberation for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails #FreeOurPrisoners @Addameer pic.twitter.com/vT8o8nMp87
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 8, 2020
And Juan Manuel Hernández Legazcue of the Ezkerretik Foroa called on the Red Cross to take action for the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners amid the COVID-19 pandemic:
Juan Manuel Hernández Legazcue of the Ezkerretik Foroa (@ForoEzkerretik) calls on the Red Cross to take action for the freedom of all Palestinian prisoners amid the COVID-19 pandemic. #FreeOurPrisoners @Addameer pic.twitter.com/KFd0ftmmTE
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) April 7, 2020
Many more activists joined the campaign, including members of the Jeunes communistes (Young Communists) in France, activists from El Salvador, Mexico, Peru and Costa Rica, and many others around the world:
From #France The Mouvement Jeunes communistes de France (JC): we demand the Israeli occupation authorities to release Palestinian political prisoners to ensure their protection fron #Covid19 #FreeOurPrisoners pic.twitter.com/kgb1DpXFNm
— Addameer –الضمير (@Addameer) April 5, 2020
Mensaje de la @limedh México #FreeOurPrisoners #COVID_19 @addameer_ps @Addameer #Palestine #palestina @BDSMadrid pic.twitter.com/ch38oCYjT2
— SODEPAZ (@SODePAZ) April 8, 2020
From #CostaRica "I'm Tatiana, I want to demand the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners, especially those most vulnerable women, children, elderly and ill prisoners I demand the release of those under administrative detention without charges and trial" #FreeOurPrisoners pic.twitter.com/Z4tNz5qwhW
— Addameer –الضمير (@Addameer) April 3, 2020
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network encourages activists, organizations and people of conscience around the world to continue the campaign and share their videos and images in support of Palestinian political prisoners fighting for their lives, their freedom and their people during the COVID-19 pandemic under the hashtag #FreeOurPrisoners. Feel free to tag us on Twitter (@SamidounPP) in addition to @Addameer or send us a link on our Facebook page!
