Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network is republishing the following statement issued by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle for the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. Samidoun is a member organization of ILPS:
On the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War, Commission 3 of the International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS) expresses its warm solidarity to all political prisoners across the world, in large and small prisons, in detention and holding facilities, in makeshift prisons – all whose freedom were robbed of them and yet, remain steadfast in their commitment against the greater prison of imperialist domination and fascist terror.
We also recognize the efforts and commitment of families, colleagues, friends and comrades in reverberating calls for freedom of political prisoners, and assert their rights amid the dire conditions they endure while in detention. We extend moral support, as we likewise draw inspiration from them, as they continue to persevere in doing and contributing what they can to the people’s movement in their respective countries and contexts. Moreover, their work even while in detention is significant in the global movement for the release of political prisoners, and more importantly, in defending the rights of the people to protest and dissent.
Almost two years into the pandemic, the peoples of the world suffer double in the crisis of imperialism and how fascist and militarist states have exploited the situation to further suppress the fundamental rights of the people, especially the marginalized and from among the oppressed and exploited classes. Ruling states made desperate attempts to quell the calls of the people for the right to health, assistance to the poor, and prioritization of needs over profit, as imperialist masters have even used the pandemic to push for intervention, domination and deception in countries with legitimate struggles for national freedom and democracy.
The continuing existence of political prisoners, is one testament to the injustice that a significant number of freedom-loving and patriotic people of the world face, within the bigger prison of an oppressive society. We pay attention to the political prisoners in countries where there is growing resistance of the people, activists, revolutionaries and freedom fighters – in Palestine, Kurdistan, Turkey, Philippines, Mexico, Peru, US, India, among many others.
The ruling states weaponize the laws, supposedly to defend the rights of people, to file false and trumped up charges, and justify illegal arrest and detention. Apart from the law, they continue to use the full force of state forces in implementing their devious schemes of counter insurgency, and war on terror – where those who are called terrorists are those who become victims of the real terrorists from the ranks of fascist military establishments and states all over.
All these, however, only goes to show that the enemies of the people are weak to the core, falsely believing that they can dampen the revolutionary spirit of the people of the world and put it behind bars. As many have bravely face the adversity of political imprisonment, torture and other repressive measures inside jail, we in the outside continuously share the stories of political prisoners, the reasons for their incarceration, and the justness of their struggle.
More than their stories, their dissenting voices go beyond the walls of prison, and continue as a driving force to aspire for a just society where no protester, no activist, no revolutionary, no person, should be in prison for his or her principles. Those who belong to prison, are those who sow fear and terror among the people. Imperialism and fascism in our world has become more rabid in attacking the rights of the people, even amidst a global crisis and pandemic.
From inside prisons, in the streets, in the rural and urban areas, in the vast arenas of the people’s struggle, we demand freedom for all political prisoners and again, say: defending the rights of the people is not a crime! Freedom and justice belongs to the people, prosecution belongs to the oppressors.
Free all political prisoners! Justice for the people of the world! #
Reference:
ILPS Commission 3
