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Monday, June 30, 2025
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Take Action: Tell the UK Government to release and stop harassment of Palestine activists! #ShutElbitDown

UPDATED: Huda and Richard have been released. However, we ask you to continue to call to tell these agencies to stop their repressive tactics and make clear there is strong opposition to these attacks.

On Thursday, 26 November, two founding members of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori and Richard Barnard, were detained by North Wales “terrorism” police for hours and denied release because they refused to turn over their passwords to their devices. Palestine Action is the direct action Palestine solidarity network in the UK working to end complicity with Israeli apartheid. The campaign to #ShutElbitDown, targeting Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems for direct action protests across the country, has drawn significant attention — and serious repression.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network stands in full solidarity with our comrades in Palestine Action and the campaign to #ShutElbitDown. We urge all supporters of Palestine to take action and demand the immediate release of Ammori and Barnard. We have heard reports that they have been released or soon will be, but this is a continuing threat. Therefore, we also ask you to call the North Wales Police and the Home Office to demand not only the immediate release of the two activists but also an end to the campaign of harassment and persecution targeting Palestine Action and those who stand up against war crimes.

TAKE ACTION:

  1. Call the North Wales central non-emergency police line at: +44 (0) 300 330 0101. Demand to be put through to the station where Huda and Richard were detained, Caernarfon Police Station. Call for their immediate release and an end to the harassment of activists challenging militarism and war crimes in Palestine.
  2. Call the UK Home Office at: +44 (0) 20 7035 4848. Demand that Huda and Richard are released and that UK police agencies end their persecution and attacks on activists challenging war crimes, apartheid and colonialism in Palestine.
  3. Join the campaign to #ShutElbitDown. Learn more about how you can get involved – including joining one of Palestine Action’s upcoming inductions – at the Palestine Action website.

Convey these messages:

  • Huda and Richard must be released immediately. Their detention – and the use of “terrorism” police to protect Israeli and UK war profiteers – is a transparently political attack on grassroots activists, in support of war crimes.
  • The ongoing harassment and attacks on Palestine Action and activists for justice in Palestine must come to an end immediately. The criminals here are those profiting from and supporting Israeli war crimes in Palestine.

We further urge all supporters of Palestine to support the #ShutElbitDown campaign and take action:

As Palestine Action notes, Elbit is an arms country deeply and directly profiting from Israeli colonization and murder in Palestine:

Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest privately-owned arms company, making a killing from Israel’s attacks on Palestinian people. It’s biggest single customer is the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD). Elbit has ten sites across the UK, including 4 arms factories.

It provides the Israeli military with around 85% of its killer drones. These drones terrorise the people of Gaza. The Israeli army uses them in daily surveillance and regular attacks. The company’s profits skyrocketed after its equipment was used in the brutal 2014 assault on Gaza, helping the country to seal contracts with militaries all over the world.

In 2018, Elbit purchased IMI Systems, the IOF’s sole supplier of small calibre ammunition. So not only are the drones in the skies made by Elbit, the bullets being shot by Israeli snipers are also made by the company. IMI Systems is known for producing cluster munitions, and because of this, companies have divested from Elbit.

Elbit produces munitions and components for all Israeli attack aircraft. And Israeli F-16 fighter jets and Apache and Cobra attack helicopters are all furnished with Elbit equipment. They have repeatedly been used to attack civilian areas, homes and refugee camps, resulting in thousands of casualties in Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Elbit is also one of the main providers of the electronic detection fence system for the West Bank apartheid wall, and was contracted to make the new underground wall around the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Elbit is a company with massive international reach – it sells 80% of its equipment outside Israel. We are calling for a two-way arms embargo.

Of course, UK state repression targeting Palestine activists is no surprise – Britain’s own current-day colonialism in Ireland continues, as does state attacks on Irish organizations. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat is a Palestinian political prisoner currently being held alongside Irish political prisoners in Maghaberry prison in the occupied north of Ireland. And, of course, it was the British colonial mandate of Palestine – and the infamous Balfour declaration – that paved the way for and enshrined Zionist colonialism in Palestine and introduced the repressive tactics, from imprisonment without charge or trial to home demolitions, currently used to target Palestinian resistance.

The work Palestine Action is doing to #ShutDownElbit is bringing the battle to the war profiteers developing and marketing the killing machine responsible for ongoing killings, massacres and war crimes against the Palestinian people. It is a critically important evolution of boycott advocacy to defend Palestinian rights at the most fundamental level. This urgent work requires broad-based support and solidarity. Stand with Palestine Action and stop the repression! #ShutElbitDown!

Video: On the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, #FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen

On 25 November 2020, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Collectif Palestine Vaincra – a member organization of the Samidoun Network – released a new video, Women, Feminism and Palestine, featuring a nearly 10-minute interview with Zainab Younes, Palestinian activist and a member of the collective. We urge all supporters of Palestine to listen to this video (Arabic audio, English subtitles – French subtitles available here)

Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Mobilization also released a video (below) in Spanish, highlighting the struggle of Palestinian women prisoners on this international day of feminist solidarity.

We urge all friends and comrades to join us in today’s collective social media storm to highlight the struggle of Palestinian women and especially the case of Khitam Saafin, the President of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, imprisoned by Israel without charge or trial:

#FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen: Social Media Action 25 November for Khitam Saafin and the Palestinian Women’s Movement

Wednesday, 25 November

10 am Pacific – 1 pm Eastern – 7 pm central Europe – 8 pm Palestine

  • Use these sample tweets for your posts: bit.ly/KhitamTweets
  • Download materials and more information at freekhitamsaafin.org
  • Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin in all of your posts during the action! 

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, join Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, the US Palestinian Community Network, the International Women’s Alliance – Europe, Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine, Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Mobilization and the Palestinian Youth Movement for a social media storm and Twitter campaign to free Khitam Saafin and Palestinian women political prisoners!

Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, is jailed without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation under an indefinitely renewable six-month administrative detention order. She is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.

Administrative detention, a practice first introduced to Palestine by the British colonial mandate, imprisons Palestinians without charge or trial on the basis of a so-called “secret file.” Even the detainee’s lawyer is denied access to any of the contents of this file; instead, it is simply asserted by the Israeli occupation military commander. These detention orders are issued for up to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians routinely spend years a a time jailed under administrative detention. There are currently approximately 370 Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention orders, among approximately 4500 Palestinian political prisoners in total.

There are currently 40 Palestinian women prisoners, including student activists like Ruba Assi, Mays Abu Ghosh, Layan Kayed and Elia Abu Hijleh; parliamentarians and advocates like Khalida Jarrar; journalists like Bushra Tawil; and dozens of others. Political imprisonment is one key aspect of the institutional violence against Palestinian women enacted by Israeli occupation and colonization and enabled by U.S., Canadian and European support for Israel’s ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity targeting the Palestinian people.

Join us for a social media storm on 25 November to demand freedom for Khitam Saafin and her fellow political prisoners and to support Palestinian women on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

Use these sample tweets for your posts: bit.ly/KhitamTweets

Download materials and more information at freekhitamsaafin.org

Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin in all of your posts during the action! 

To add a second hashtag, use #FreePalestinianWomen

Check out the pages and social media accounts of the organizations for #FreeKhitamSaafin content and more great information:

On Facebook: @uspcn, @samidounprisonersolidarity, @Pal.Youth.Movement, @AlAwdaPRRC @wolpalestine, @IWA Europe @MovimientoDeMujeresPalestinasAlKarama – Feel free to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen

On Twitter: See @USPCN. @SamidounPP, @palyouthmvmt, @AlAwda, @intlwomensalli1, @WOLPalestine @alkarama_mmp

On Instagram: Check out @uspcn @samidounnetwork @palestinianyouthmovement @alawdasouthfl @wolpalestine @iwa_europe for stories, posts and information

Palestinian women prisoners and the liberation struggle

Today, there are 40 imprisoned Palestinian women and girls in Israeli jails. Many of them suffer from health issues, and the global pandemic of COVID-19 poses a significant threat, especially as they are held under harsh condition at Damon prison, previously a stable for animals. Palestinian women behind Israeli bars represent all facets of Palestinian society: parliamentarians, leaders, journalists, social workers, activists, students, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, caregivers, health workers and many more.

Throughout the history of the Palestinian cause, Palestinian women have been at the center of the liberation movement in all aspects of struggle and have played a particularly meaningful role in the prisoners’ movement behind bars historically, leading hunger strikes and continuing the struggle for freedom. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Movement salutes the leading role of Palestinian women in the struggle and urges the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Resources on Palestinian women prisoners

We recommend the following resources for more information on Palestinian women prisoners:

Khalida Jarrar speaks out on women prisoners’ struggle as Ramallah protest urges their liberation

On Saturday, 21 November, Palestinian organizers and activists from a number of organizations, including youth and student groups and women’s organizations as well as members of Samidoun Network in occupied Palestine, joined a demonstration in Manara Square in Ramallah called by the General Union of Palestinian Women to demand freedom for Palestinian women prisoners.

Photo: Activestills

Participants in the demonstration called for the liberation of Khitam Saafin, the president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, detained without charge or trial under Israeli administrative detention, and her fellow Palestinian prisoners. They also denounced the Palestinian Authority’s announcement of the resumption of security coordination with the Israeli occupation as an attack on the Palestinian people.

Fellow imprisoned Palestinian feminist, parliamentarian and leftist leader, Khalida Jarrar, recently met with her lawyer and spoke about the conditions faced by the women prisoners in Damon prison. She has been imprisoned since 31 October 2019 and repeatedly brought before the military court on charges related to her public political activity.

Photo: Activestills

In a report published in Arabic in Hadf News, Jarrar’s lawyers noted that the women prisoners in Damon prison have launched a series of protest steps against the poor conditions of their detention since September 2000.

“The women prisoners began to partially return meals throughout September and October and continued to do so until 4 November. The Zionist prison administration met these protests with extensive and punitive inspections that began on the morning of 11 October 2020, confiscating all ‘extra’ clothes belonging to the prisoners,” Jarrar told her lawyers. “This repression included the confiscation of clothes, educational books, and stationery in general, in addition to closing the women prisoners’ section for 24 hours and taking Fadwa Hamadeh, a sick prisoner, to solitary confinement for a full week, accusing her of attacking one of the women jailers.”

Photo: Activestills

Jarrar noted further that “the prison administration threatens the women prisoners with transferring them to isolation cells and forbidding them from going out to the prison exercise yard if they continue their steps of struggle. However, these protests have extracted a commitment to improve the floor of the prison yard, painting the walls and obtaining additional products to serve the human needs of the women prisoners.”

However, she also noted that repression is continuing: “The prison administration formally announced a few days ago that they have suspended installing public phones in the prison yard, an achievement gained in the 2017 mass hunger strike. The 39 women prisoners held in Damon prison – and the one, university student Shatha al-Tawil, held in HaSharon prison – are all being prohibited from seeking or continuing their university educations.”

Photo: Activestills

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, join Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, the US Palestinian Community Network, the International Women’s Alliance – Europe, Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine, Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Mobilization and the Palestinian Youth Movement for a social media storm and Twitter campaign to free Khitam Saafin, Khalida Jarrar and all Palestinian women political prisoners.

For more information about the social media campaign, please visit this link: https://samidoun.net/2020/11/freekhitamsaafin-freepalestinianwomen-join-the-social-media-action-25-november/

 

#FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen: Join the social media action 25 November!

#FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen: Social Media Action 25 November for Khitam Saafin and the Palestinian Women’s Movement

Wednesday, 25 November

10 am Pacific – 1 pm Eastern – 7 pm central Europe – 8 pm Palestine

  • Use these sample tweets for your posts: bit.ly/KhitamTweets
  • Download materials and more information at freekhitamsaafin.org
  • Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin in all of your posts during the action! 

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, join Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, the US Palestinian Community Network, the International Women’s Alliance – Europe, Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine, Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Mobilization and the Palestinian Youth Movement for a social media storm and Twitter campaign to free Khitam Saafin and Palestinian women political prisoners! 

Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, is jailed without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation under an indefinitely renewable six-month administrative detention order. She is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.

Administrative detention, a practice first introduced to Palestine by the British colonial mandate, imprisons Palestinians without charge or trial on the basis of a so-called “secret file.” Even the detainee’s lawyer is denied access to any of the contents of this file; instead, it is simply asserted by the Israeli occupation military commander. These detention orders are issued for up to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians routinely spend years a a time jailed under administrative detention. There are currently approximately 370 Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention orders, among approximately 4500 Palestinian political prisoners in total.

There are currently 40 Palestinian women prisoners, including student activists like Ruba Assi, Mays Abu Ghosh, Layan Kayed and Elia Abu Hijleh; parliamentarians and advocates like Khalida Jarrar; journalists like Bushra Tawil; and dozens of others. Political imprisonment is one key aspect of the institutional violence against Palestinian women enacted by Israeli occupation and colonization and enabled by U.S., Canadian and European support for Israel’s ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity targeting the Palestinian people. 

Join us for a social media storm on 25 November to demand freedom for Khitam Saafin and her fellow political prisoners and to support Palestinian women on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

Use these sample tweets for your posts: bit.ly/KhitamTweets

Download materials and more information at freekhitamsaafin.org

Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin in all of your posts during the action! 

To add a second hashtag, use #FreePalestinianWomen

Check out the pages and social media accounts of the organizations for #FreeKhitamSaafin content and more great information:

On Facebook: @uspcn, @samidounprisonersolidarity, @Pal.Youth.Movement, @AlAwdaPRRC @wolpalestine, @IWA Europe @MovimientoDeMujeresPalestinasAlKarama – Feel free to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin #FreePalestinianWomen

On Twitter: See @USPCN. @SamidounPP, @palyouthmvmt, @AlAwda, @intlwomensalli1, @WOLPalestine @alkarama_mmp

On Instagram: Check out @uspcn @samidounnetwork @palestinianyouthmovement @alawdasouthfl @wolpalestine @iwa_europe for stories, posts and information

Photo: Toulouse, France, via Collectif Palestine Vaincra (Facebook)

 

A call to organize and get involved from the Samidoun Network – Germany

A call from the Samidoun Network – Germany

To the Palestinian people and all supporters of Palestinian rights and the resistance, in all cities and regions of Germany:

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – Deutschland invites you to participate and join with us in the programs and activities of our network defending the rights of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement, struggling inside the prisons of Zionist colonialism and exposed to the worst form of oppression and collective punishment, and to volunteer with us to support and uphold the rights of the Palestinian people and their just and legitimate cause in Palestine, Germany and everywhere.

The Samidoun Network in Germany confirms its principled position alongside the struggles of oppressed peoples everywhere fighting for liberation, social justice and equality, and in support of all groups fighting racism and fascism inside and outside Germany. We demand the freedom of political prisoners in all of the regimes of oppression and imperialism, foremost among which the liberation of the freedom fighter, comrade Georges Ibrahim Abdallah. He has been imprisoned in French prisons for more than 36 years, and we urge support of his struggle for freedom and his safe return to his homeland, Lebanon. We demand the release of all imprisoned activists of the trade union, student and women’s movements, including the immediate release of Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees.

Contact us through our website and our pages about how to participate in our programs and establish volunteer working groups in Germany.

E-mail: samidoun@samidoun.net

Facebook: Samidoun Deutschland

Main website: www.samidoun.net

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بيان صادر عن شبكة صامدون -ألمانيا

إلى شعبنا الفلسطيني وأنصار المقاومة والحقوق الفلسطينية في عموم المدن والمناطق الالمانية:

تدعوكم شبكة صامدون للدفاع عن الأسرى – المانيا – إلى المشاركة والانضمام معنا في برامج وأنشطة الشبكة دفاعاً عن حقوق الحركة الأسيرة الفلسطينية المناضلة في سجون الاستعمار الصهيوني التي تتعرض إلى ابشع أشكال القمع والعقوبات الجماعية، والتطوع معنا اسنادا ودعماً لحقوق شعبنا الفلسطيني ونضاله العادل والمشروع في فلسطين والمانيا وكل مكان.

ان شبكة صامدون في ألمانيا تؤكد على موقفها المبدئي مع نضال الشعوب المضطهدة التي تناضل من أجل التحرر والعدالة الاجتماعية والمساواة ، واسناد كافة التجمعات التي تواجه العنصرية والفاشية داخل وخارج ألمانيا، نطالب بحرية المعتقلين السياسيين في كل سجون انظمة القمع والاضطهاد وفي مقدمتهم حرية الأسير المناضل الرفيق جورج ابراهيم عبد الله المعتقل في السجون الفرنسية منذ أكثر من 36 سنة وندعو إلى إسناد نضاله من أجل الحرية والعودة سالما إلى وطنه لبنان. كما نطالب باطلاق سراح كل المناضلات والمناضلين من الحركات النقابية والطلابية والنسوية وبالافراج الفوري عن ختام سعافين رئيسة اتحاد لجان المرأة الفلسطينية.

تواصلوا معنا عبر موقعنا وصفحاتنا حول كيفية المشاركة في برامجنا وتأسيس مجموعات عمل تطوعية في المانيا.

البريد الالكتروني: samidoun@samidoun.net

صفحتنا على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي: Samidoun Deutschland

الموقع الرئيسي: www.samidoun.net
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Aufruf von Samidoun Deutschland

An unser Palästinensisches Volk und alle Unterstützer der Palästinensischen Frage und des Palästinensischen Widerstandes in den deutschen Städten und Bundesländern:

Das Netzwerk für die Solidarität mit den Palästinensischen Gefangenen – Samidoun Deutschland – ruft Euch zur Teilnahme an seinen Programmen und Aktivitäten auf, um für die Rechte der Palästinensischen

Gefangenen zu kämpfen und die militante Gefangenenbewegung zu unterstützen, die in den Gefängnissen des zionistischen Kolonialismus unter den schlimmsten Formen der Unterdrückung und der Kollektivstrafen leidet. Wir rufen Euch dazu auf, Euch mit uns zu engagieren, freiwillige und aktive Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer an unserer Bewegung zu werden, und die Rechte des Palästinensischen Volkes im Rahmen seines legitimen und gerechten Kampfes mit voller Kraft zu verteidigen, in Palästina, in Deutschland, und in jedem Ort.

Das Netzwerk Samidoun Deutschland betont seine prinzipielle Position, auf der Seite der unterdrückten Völker zu stehen, die für die Emanzipation, die Gleichheit, und die soziale Gerechtigkeit kämpfen. Wir unterstützen alle Gruppen und Gemeinschaften, die gegen den Rassismus und den Faschismus – innerhalb und außerhalb Deutschlands – kämpfen, und wir verlangen die Befreiung der politischen Gefangenen in allen Gefängnissen der autoritären und unterdrückenden Regime. In erster Linie fordern wir die Freilassung von unserem Genossen Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, der seit mehr als 36 Jahren immer noch hinter den Gittern des reaktionären Französischen Kerkersystems sitzt. Wir rufen dazu auf, seinen Kampf für die Freiheit zu unterstützen, damit er unversehrt nach seinem Heimatland, dem Libanon, zurückkehren kann. Wir verlangen auch die Befreiung aller AktivistInnen der Gewerkschafter-, Studenten- und Frauenbewegung, und wir fordern die sofortige Freilassung von Khitam Saafin, die Präsidentin der Union der Komitees der Palästinensischen Frauen.

Kontaktiert uns via unsere Internetseiten und erfahrt mehr über die Möglichkeiten der Kooperation, der Teilnahme an unserem Vorhaben sowie der Gründung von freiwilligen Arbeitsgruppen in Deutschland.

E-mail: samidoun@samidoun.net

FB: Samidoun Deutschland

Webseite: www.samidoun.net

Famed musician Roger Waters joins campaign to #FreeKhitamSaafin with unique musical contribution

 

Roger Waters, world-renowned musician known for his work with Pink Floyd – and for his commitment to speaking up for Palestinian rights – joined in a global social media storm to free Khitam Saafin, the imprisoned Palestinian feminist and president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees. Waters posted a video mashup bringing together his own music along with graphics calling for Saafin’s freedom.

The posts came as part of a #FreeKhitamSaafin social media campaign organized on Monday, 16 November by the US Palestinian Community Network and Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network along with the National Alliance against Racial and Political Repression and the National Lawyers Guild.

Waters, 75, long renowned for his musical work with Pink Floyd, continues to perform globally and produce new work. He has become an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights and liberation, a supporter of the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, and a committed critic of imperialism, racism and settler colonialism. Today, he lent his voice – and his music – to the campaign to free Saafin, a Palestinian activist and organizer detained by Israel without charge or trial.

Saafin was ordered by an Israeli military commander to six months in administrative detention, imprisonment with no charge or trial and based on so-called “secret evidence”, on 9 November 2020. She had been seized by Israeli occupation forces from her home in occupied Beitunia at the same time as six other Palestinian activists and human rights defenders on 2 November 2020.

She was last arrested by Israeli occupation forces in 2017, when she was ordered to three months in administrative detention — leading to a global outcry. Saafin is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.

Check out the post on Facebook. 

Administrative detention, a practice first introduced to Palestine by the British colonial mandate, imprisons Palestinians without charge or trial on the basis of a so-called “secret file.” Even the detainee’s lawyer is denied access to any of the contents of this file; instead, it is simply asserted by the Israeli occupation military commander. These detention orders are issued for up to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians routinely spend years a a time jailed under administrative detention. There are currently approximately 370 Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention orders, among approximately 4500 Palestinian political prisoners in total.

To get more information and join the campaign for Khitam Saafin and her fellow Palestinian political prisoners, follow and share our campaign page at https://freekhitamsaafin.org/

Download graphics and resources at: https://bit.ly/KhitamResources

#FreeKhitamSaafin – Take action and join the growing campaign to free imprisoned Palestinian feminist leader

Detained Palestinian feminist and women’s organizer Khitam Saafin was ordered by an Israeli military commander to six months in administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial, on 9 November 2020. The President of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, Saafin was seized by Israeli occupation forces from her home in occupied Beitunia along with six other Palestinian activists and human rights defenders on 2 November 2020.

Follow and share our campaign page at http://freekhitamsaafin.org/!

Download resources at: https://bit.ly/KhitamResources

She was last arrested by Israeli occupation forces in 2017, when she was ordered to three months in administrative detention — leading to a global outcry. We urge all supporters of justice in Palestine and women’s organizing to speak out and protest to demand freedom for Khitam Saafin and her fellow Palestinian women prisoners.

Khitam Saafin is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.

Administrative detention, a practice first introduced to Palestine by the British colonial mandate, imprisons Palestinians without charge or trial on the basis of a so-called “secret file.” Even the detainee’s lawyer is denied access to any of the contents of this file; instead, it is simply asserted by the Israeli occupation military commander. These detention orders are issued for up to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable; Palestinians routinely spend years a a time jailed under administrative detention. There are currently approximately 370 Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention orders, among approximately 4500 Palestinian political prisoners in total.

Join the Social Media Storm: Monday, 16 November!

On Monday, 16 November, join us and speak out as Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network joins the US Palestinian Community Network, National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the National Lawyers Guild
for our social media storm to demand the immediate release of beloved and important Palestinian feminist leader and the president of The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, Khitam Saafin!

Join on Monday, 16 November at 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern, 6 pm British/Irish time, 7 pm central Europe, 8 pm Palestine!

Use this USPCN toolkit for your social media posts: bit.ly/FreeKhitamSaafin

And here are even more sample tweets for you to use: bit.ly/KhitamTweets

On Facebook: Tag @uspcn, @naarpr, @caarpr, @samidounprisonersolidarity, and @nlgnational in your posts on Facebook! Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin.

On Twitter: Tag @USPCN, @NAARPR, @SamidounPP, @CAARPRNow & @NLGnews. Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin

On Instagram: Tag @uspcn @samidounnetwork @nationallawyersguild @caarprnow in your posts
Use hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin

Delegation in Brazil to demand Khitam’s freedom, 9 November
  • On 9 November in Brazil, Workers Party President Glesi Hoffmann, along with militants from the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), the World March of Women (MMM), the Movement of Peasant Women (MMC), the Levante da Juventude, the CUT and the Teachers Union, representing more than 50 Brazilian organizations that are part of the International Peoples Assembly and La Via Campesina Brazil, visited the embassy of Israel in Brasilia to file a document demanding the freedom of the Palestinian Militant Khitam Saafin.According to the document delivered to the Israeli embassy in Brasilia, Khitam’s prison is part of a criminal policy by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people and their national leaders, especially women, which aims to prevent these leaders from fulfilling their roles in the fight against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
  • Alkarama Palestinian Women’s Mobilization called for the release of Saafin, noting that “Saafin’s arrest occurs in the context of the ongoing imprisonment of Palestinian activists by the Israeli occupation authorities. This can be seen in the growing number of Palestinian Legislative Council members, human rights activists and civil society leaders arrested by Israeli occupation forces in recent years.”
  • A group of left and progressive women’s organizations in the Arab region, including the Women’s Sector of the Democratic Way in Morocco, Palestinian Working Women Committees Union, Jin Women Association of Lebanon, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees and the World March of Women – MENA region, also urged her immediate release in a statement “Demanding the human rights and women’s organizations in the region to crystallize a regional and international solidarity campaign to demand the release of the comrade Khitam and the rest of the Palestinian prisoners and calls for serious and real support to the Palestinian captive movement.”
  • Member of European Parliament Manu Pineda, chair of the parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Palestine, issued a statement to the European External Action Service, calling on the EEAS and the EU to “mobilize its diplomatic resources to obtain the prompt release of Ms. Saafin and all other Palestinian citizens detained without formal charges.”
  • ELAFF, a French association of Green, anarchist and antifascist feminists, issued a statement of solidarity, demanding the release of Khitam Saafin and other feminist political prisoners around the world.
  • Jewish Voice for Peace, Germany, joined the call for freedom for Khitam Saafin, Khalida Jarrar, imprisoned Palestinian women’s leaders.
  • Radical Women chapters in the United States and Australia join Palestinian feminists and leftists in strongly condemning Israel’s recent arrest and abduction of women’s movement and student leaders, former prisoners, and leftist organizers throughout the occupied West Bank of Palestine. As the statement noted: “Israel attacks feminists for their leadership and resilience in challenging the Zionist state.  Women are hit especially hard by the occupation. They hold the family together, and feed and care for children and elderly relatives. Their homes are destroyed, They witness people killed in their beds and dying when ambulances aren’t allowed through checkpoints.”

Take Action

1. Post pictures and graphics on your social media accounts urging the release of Khitam Saafin and all Palestinian prisoners. Send your photos to us at Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network on Facebook, @SamidounPP on Twitter, and at samidoun@samidoun.net.

2. Issue a statement from your group, association, women’s organization or union demanding freedom for Khitam Saafin. In 2017, dozens of organizations around the world joined in the call for her release, making her detention – and that of Khalida Jarrar – an international issue. Send your statements to us at samidoun@samidoun.net

3. Organize protests, demonstrations creative actions. Ad hacks, postering and other outdoor actions – especially near an Israeli embassy or consulate – can draw a significant amount of attention to Khitam Saafin and the Palestinian cause at this critical time.

4. Build the boycott of Israel! Join the movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. 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.
Please share your actions and posts with us at Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network on Facebook, @SamidounPP on Twitter, and at samidoun@samidoun.net.

Graphics and Materials for the Khitam Saafin Campaign

See below for: English French Arabic Spanish Portuguese German Swedish Dutch Italian Greek Turkish 

Download these resources at: https://bit.ly/KhitamResources

English

French

Arabic

Spanish

Portuguese

German

Swedish

Dutch

Italian

Greek

Turkish

#FreeKhitamSaafin – Join the social media storm on Monday, 16 November!

On Monday, 16 November, join us and speak out as Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network joins the US Palestinian Community Network, National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the National Lawyers Guild
for our social media storm to demand the immediate release of beloved and important Palestinian feminist leader and the president of The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, Khitam Saafin!

Khitam Saafin, president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, is jailed without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation under an indefinitely renewable six-month administrative detention order. She is a well-known international advocate for Palestinian women and freedom and justice for the Palestinian people. She has spoken around the world about the struggle of Palestinian women, including at the World Social Forum, and served as chair of the Global Women’s March Palestine.

Visit Collectif Palestine Vaincra to join this campaign in French: https://palestinevaincra.com/2020/11/lundi-16-novembre-participez-a-la-mobilisation-freekhitamsaafin-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux/

Use this USPCN toolkit for your social media posts: bit.ly/FreeKhitamSaafin

And here are even more sample tweets for you to use: bit.ly/KhitamTweets

On Facebook: Tag @uspcn, @naarpr, @caarpr, @samidounprisonersolidarity, and @nlgnational in your posts on Facebook! Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin.

On Twitter: Tag @USPCN, @NAARPR, @SamidounPP, @CAARPRNow & @NLGnews. Use the hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin

On Instagram: Tag @uspcn @samidounnetwork @nationallawyersguild @caarprnow in your posts
Use hashtag #FreeKhitamSaafin

Also, please join the Art Challenge to #FreeKhitamSaafin! Post drawings, videos, signs, chalkings and more to free Khitam Saafin and all political prisoners, and tag three of your friends in each post – as well as our organizations above!

Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat faces declining medical condition, delayed treatment in Maghaberry prison

Dozens of organizations, including Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, signed a collective statement urging the immediate release of Palestinian doctor Issam Hijjawi Bassalat, imprisoned in the British-occupied north of Ireland in Maghaberry Prison with Irish republican activists of Saoradh targeted by an MI5 agent who infiltrated the party.

This came as Scotland Against Criminalising Communities raised urgent attention about his declining medical situation inside the prison and the denial of necessary and timely medical care. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network urges solidarity and action in support of Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat and his fellow political prisoners, the Saoradh 9.

The statement follows below:

Dear Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

We, the undersigned community and civil society organizations in Britain, Europe and around the world, call upon you to act quickly to immediately release British citizen and Palestinian organizer, Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat, from British detention in Northern Ireland. We were shocked and taken aback by his arrest on 22 August 2020 by the British security services at London Heathrow Airport following his return from Dubai.

Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat is a medical doctor, married and a father, and has been practicing medicine for many years in hospitals in Scotland, where he is a member of the British Medical Association. In addition, Issam is a prominent activist in the defense of Palestinian rights, and he works with many organizations and institutions active in solidarity with the Palestinian people in European countries, particularly the European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCP), which brings together dozens of associations in support of the Palestinian people from 28 European countries.

Finally, Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat, as part of his activities, communicates with many sympathetic political, trade union and social organizations in Britain, Europe, the Arab world and Latin America, with the aim of expanding the circle of international solidarity with the just cause of the Palestinian people. He frequently participates in conference and meetings in solidarity with Palestine, both in Europe and internationally.

Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat is well-known for his commitment to freedom, equality, justice and human rights, and for his support for the oppressed peoples of the world. Since 16 September 2020, he and his nine detained comrades have been on a hunger strike. Not only has Issam been unfairly denied bail based on sensationalistic and exaggerated allegations, he has also been subjected repeatedly to isolation. This has been justified as a COVID-19 protection; however, other detainees at the same prison have not been re-isolated after returning from medical testing. This ongoing isolation appears to be punitive and targeted.

We urge you once more to immediately respond to the demands of the hunger strikers and to release Dr. Hijjawi Bassalat and his comrades.

Initial signatories

Le Collectif Rouge Internationaliste pour la défense des prisonniers révolutionnaires (Le CRI rouge Paris, France) – Le Comité d’Actions et de Soutien aux Luttes du peuple Marocain (Paris, France) – La Campagne Unitaire pour la libération de Georges Abdallah (Paris, France) – Le Collectif pour la Libération de Georges Ibrahim Abdallah (Paris, France) – Le Collectif Palestine Vaincra (Toulouse, France) – Le conseil départemental SOLIDAIRES 09 (Ariège, France) – Le Collectif Ni Guerres Ni État de Guerre (Paris, France) – L’association Palestine 13 (Marseille, France) – Rete dei Comunisti (Italie) – L’Association Nationale des Communistes : ANC nationale (France) – Le MRAP(Tarbes, France ) – L’Union syndicale Solidaires (France) – Alima Boumediene Thiery pour L’Association Femmes plurielles (France) – Front Uni des Immigrations et des Quartiers Populaires : FUIQP national (France) – Association Car t’y est libre (Marseille – France) – Martine ROUSSEL – Prof. Dr. Christopher Pollmann de l’Université de Lorraine et de Metz (France) – Vincent Gaggini, président de l’Association Corsica Palestine – Investig’Action (Belgique) – Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – Le Collectif Solidarité Palestine Ouest Etang de Berre (Marseille, France) – Corsica-Palestina – Philippe DAUMAS militant de L’Association France Palestine Solidarité.

Scotland Against Criminalizing Communities reported that Dr. Hijjawi Bassalat has faced further decline in his medical condition while imprisoned. Prior to his arrest, he had suffered a spinal injury; he launched a hunger strike with 50 Irish republican prisoners when he was repeatedly subject to COVID-19 isolation in a space with little room for exercise, which alleviates some of his pain. Since that time, he has continued to experience intensified pain and needs crutches to walk, making surgery a likely necessity.

Nevertheless, the prison has so far failed to hand over his medical records as requested to a qualified neurosurgeon, leading to further delays in his treatment.

SACC Chair Richard Haley wrote yesterday, 8 November, to the Governor of Maghaberry Prison asking him to ensure that Dr. Bassalat is provided with prompt access to the medical care he needs.

The letter says:

“Dear Mr Kennedy,

Thank you for your email of 28 October regarding Dr Issam Hijawi Bassalat, a remand prisoner at HMP Maghaberry. I am writing to you again because Dr Bassalat is continuing to experience difficulties in accessing the medical care that he needs.

Dr Bassalat suffers from a neurological problem resulting from a disk prolapse. His condition continues to deteriorate. He is experiencing continuous severe pain and now needs crutches in order to walk. It seems probable that he will require surgery.

Dr Bassalat’s neuro-surgeon needs access to medical records held by HMP Maghaberry in order to decide on the best course of action. I understand that the records have not yet been transferred to him. This ought to be simple matter. It appears that it has instead become a significant barrier to the timely provision of appropriate medical care to Dr Bassalat.

The continued neglect of Dr Bassalat’s medical needs is causing him prolonged and needless suffering and could put his health in jeopardy. It also potentially puts HMP Maghaberry in breach of domestic and international law. Any failure to provide adequate health care is apt to create a situation that falls within the scope of the prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The European Prison Rules and the UN’s Revised Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) are both relevant to any assessment of the adequacy of prison health care. Note in particular that Rule 24 of the Nelson Mandela Rules states “prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health-care that are available in the community”, Rule 26 states “a prisoner may appoint a third party to access his or her medical file” and Rule 27 states “all prisons shall ensure prompt access to medical attention in urgent cases.”

I hope you will intervene to expedite prompt access to Dr Bassalat’s medical records by his neuro-surgeon and anyone else nominated by Dr Bassalat, and that more generally you will ensure that all necessary steps are taken to provide Dr Bassalat with the prompt access to appropriate medical care that he very clearly needs.

I understand that any reply to this letter will engage data protection issues. I therefore urge you to seek Dr Bassalat’s permission to share with me such information as you need to in order to respond meaningfully.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Haley (Chair, SACC)”

Richard Haley added today:

“It’s often said that justice delayed is justice denied. The same might be said about medical care. Dr Bassalat has been suffering for too long. He went into prison on his feet and is now on crutches. Maghaberry Prison must stop putting obstacles between Dr Bassalat and the treatment he so obviously needs.”

Palestinian student Ameer Hazboun sentenced by Israeli military court for campus activism

Palestinian student prisoner Ameer Hazboun was sentenced by an illegitimate Israeli military court on Monday, 9 October to 16 months in Israeli prison and a fine of 3000 NIS ($890 USD/$750 EUR). He has been detained since 11 September 2019 and his military court hearings have been repeatedly delayed and postponed.

He was subjected to severe torture under interrogation at al-Moskobiyeh interrogation center before being charged with, essentially, being a Palestinian student activist: he was accused of membership in the Progressive Democratic Student Pole, a leftist student bloc at Bir Zeit University recently labeled a “prohibited organization” by the Israeli military occupation command, attending student events and organizing student activities on campus. In fact, distributing flyers for a student election campaign was labeled “aiding an illegal organization.”

A fourth-year engineering student at Bir Zeit University, Ameer was seized by soldiers in his dormitory on 10 September 2019 as they invaded his room at 1:00 a.m. He was brutally kicked beaten by the soldiers with their guns while being transported to the Moskobiyeh interrogation center. He arrived at the center with bruises all over his body and informed the prison doctor that he has a platinum plate in his left hand for a previous injury. He was interrogated for weeks on end for 22 hours a day. Due to severe sleep deprivation, he would sometimes fall asleep during interrogation and was shaken awake by the interrogators. He was forced into multiple stress positions, including being forced to stand on his toes with his hands cuffed overhead to the wall, placing severe stress on his feet, arms and injured hand.

Ameer is one of hundreds of Palestinian university students – including dozens from Bir Zeit University alone – imprisoned by the Israeli occupation and attacked for their student activities. Freedom for Ameer Hazboun and all imprisoned Palestinian students!

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