Take action: Call the White House to urge commutations for the Holy Land Five

5 January 2017

Muslim Legal Fund of America has been working hard to get the Holy Land Foundation clemency petition in front of President Obama, and it is their understanding that Obama is currently reviewing it. The clemency petition is asking Obama to commute, or reduce, their sentences to “time served” so they can be released from prison.

MLFA is asking you to call President Obama’s office and urge him to commute the HLF defendants’ excessive sentences.

Here is suggested language when calling:

I’m calling to ask President Obama to commute the sentences of the Holy Land Foundation defendants: Mufid Abdulqader, Shukri Baker, Ghassan Elashi, Mohammad El-Mezain, and Abdulrahman Odeh. All funds raised by HLF were used for purely humanitarian purposes — a fact prosecutors acknowledged. All money went to feed, clothe and educate children and families. The prosecution of these humanitarians was a grave injustice and their sentences of 15 to 65 years are excessive and cruel by any standard. They have already served eight years – twice as long as the maximum sentence for the same crime in Israel. These five humanitarians and their families have suffered greatly. It’s time to restore justice for these men and their loved ones.

The phone numbers MFLA has for President Obama’s office are:

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Nael Barghouthi denied release, threatened with reimposition of former life sentence

5 January 2017

Nael Barghouthi, the longest-held Palestinian prisoner, was denied release in a hearing at Ofer military court on Wednesday, 4 January. An Israeli military committee is currently deciding whether or not to reinstate his previous life sentence, on the basis of secret evidence.

Barghouthi, 59, has served a total of 36 years in Israeli prison. Arrested in 1978 by Israeli occupation forces for his participation in the Palestinian armed resistance, he was released in 2011 as part of the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange with over 1,000 fellow Palestinian prisoners. With dozens of fellow former prisoners, Barghouthi was re-arrested in June 2014 in an Israeli attempt to pressure Palestinian resistance forces.

Israeli military order 1651 declares – in violation of the exchange agreement – that an Israeli military committee can reinstate the prior sentence of any Palestinian released in an exchange agreement on the basis of secret evidence. If there are any allegations at all made available to the prisoner or their lawyer – and no evidence – they can be as simple as associating with members of a prohibited organization, including every major Palestinian political party.

Over 50 Palestinian prisoners have had their original sentences re-instated by this military committee, including former long-term hunger striker Samer Issawi. Barghouthi, however, was ordered to 30 months in prison, a sentence that expired on 17 December. In 2015, the Israeli military prosecution appealed the sentence, demanding his original life sentence be re-imposed. No decision has been made in the case by the committee, but Barghouthi remains imprisoned despite the expiration of his sentence. His lawyers appealed for his release, but on Wednesday, 4 January, it was denied, reportedly on the basis that Barghouthi may escape, when it is likely his former sentence will be restored, according to the military court.

Nael’s brother, Omar Barghouthi, also a long-term ex-prisoner, said that the prison administration and intelligence agencies do not act according to law, and “they will not allow my brother to live one moment outside the prison.” When Barghouthi was released, he married Iman Nafie, also a former prisoner. Nafie and the family lawyer, Merav Khoury, stated that they would appeal to the Supreme Court for Barghouthi’s release.

Addameer and Samidoun have urged international action to free Nael Barghouthi and end the persecution of former prisoners. Please take action to call for Barghouthi’s immediate release.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association and Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network are joining in this urgent call for action to pressure Israel to release Nael Barghouthi, being held as a political hostage by the Israeli government.

TAKE ACTION:

Sign and share the Change.org petition to urge international officials to take action for Nael Barghouthi’s release: https://www.change.org/p/international-officials-pressure-israel-to-free-nael-barghouthi

Organize a protest, demonstration, speaking event or banner drop in your city, community or campus calling for freedom for Nael Barghouthi and his fellow Palestinian prisoners.

Write to Israeli officials to demand Nael Barghouthi’s release. Write a message and email or fax it to the officials. Details available here: https://samidoun.net/2017/01/take-action-urgent-call-to-free-nael-barghouthi-longest-held-palestinian-prisoner/

Palestinian children targeted for lengthy sentences: 13-year-old boys sentenced to 2 more years in prison, 17-year-old girl to 8.5 years

5 January 2017

Two Palestinian 13-year-old child prisoners, Shadi Farrah and Ahmad al-Zaatari, were sentenced to two more years imprisonment on Wednesday, 4 January. The two children – both Palestinian Jerusalemites – have been imprisoned for one year already, since 30 December 2015.

However, in this case, the one year they have already spent in detention will not be counted toward their sentence, which will reportedly be served in an Israeli juvenile detention facility. Thus, they will spend a total of three years in Israeli imprisonment, with the two-year sentence dating from 29 November 2016. The two were charged with attempted murder and possession of knives, even though they were walking in Jerusalem when they were stopped by Israeli occupation soldiers, who searched their bags and allegedly found a knife.

In general, Palestinian children under 14 are usually sentenced to six months maximum; at the age of 14, these children can be sentenced equally to adults. In recent months a number of Palestinian children have received extremely lengthy sentences, including Ahmad Manasrah, 14, sentenced to 12 years in prison, and Nurhan Awad, 16, sentenced to 13 years in Israeli prison. However, in this case, the boys’ families and lawyer reported that they were openly and heavily pressured to accept this plea agreeement or, as in the case of Manasrah, prosecutors would simply postpone the case until their 14th birthdays and pursue high sentences against the two.

In addition to Shadi and Ahmad, Jerusalemite child prisoner Marah Bakir, 17, was sentenced to 8.5 years in Israeli prison on 4 January, in addition to a 10,000 NIS fine (approximately $2600 USD) Imprisoned since 10 October 2015, Marah was shot 10 times by Israeli occupation forces and accused of possession of a knife and attempting to stab a soldier. She was strip searched and taken to Hadassah hospital and interrogated while severely injured and undressed in a hospital bed. Throughout her hospitalization, she was shackled hand and foot to her hospital bed. Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association reported that guards abused her, including telling her to die, while another guard took a selfie with her against her will. In court on Wednesday, she appeared in a wheelchair with her legs cuffed to the chair.

In addition, child prisoner Malak Salman, 17, another Jerusalemite, had her hearing continued until 7 February. She has gone through 21 hearings since her imprisonment on 9 February 2016.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Commission reported on Wednesday that 505 Palestinian children had been held in Ofer prison in 2016 after being arrested and interrogated in detention and interrogation centers. Among those, 10 children were ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial. There are currently around 300 Palestinian children in Israeli prisons.

Raed Salah interrogated in prison; Basel Ghattas targeted for indictment today

5 January 2017

Raed Salah, the imprisoned leader of the Islamic Movement in Palestine ’48, was summoned for interrogation by Israeli intelligence on Wednesday, 4 January, allegedly about “incitement,” following an earlier interrogation on 21 December.

Salah, widely known for his advocacy around the defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque, has been imprisoned since May 2016 on charges of “incitement,” dating back to speeches made years ago. He was sentenced to nine months in prison and is scheduled for release in February. The Islamic Movement has been banned in 2015, and Palestinian organizations from across the political spectrum have denoucned the banning, raids and persecution that have followed as an attack on all Palestinians in ’48 Palestine, who hold Israeli citizehnship.

Throughout his time in prison, Salah has been held in solitary confinement, while the Israel Prison Service has declared that he is a threat “due to his influential personality;” his appeal to end his isolation was denied in November. His lawyers emphasized that the interrogation appears to be a means to extend his imprisonment and prevent his release.

The extended interrogation of Salah comes as Israeli attorney general Avishai Mandelblit announced that he would be filing charges against MK Basel Ghattas of the National Democratic Alliance (Balad) party, accusing the prominent political leader among Palestinian citizens of Israel of bringing cellular phones to imprisoned Palestinians. As’ad Daqqa, the brother of imprisoned Walid Daqqa, has already been accused on these charges. Ghattas is currently under house imprisonment for 10 days, and his lawyers stressed their absolute rejection of any extension of his home imprisonment, emphasizing that the case is politically motivated.

Take Action: 13-15 January – Days of Action to Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian Prisoners

4 January 2017

We invite your organizations, groups and coalition to endorse this call to action and participate in the events of January 13-15, 2017. Thank you! Please use the form or email samidoun@samidoun.net to sign on.

Scheduled Events | Materials and Resources

January 13-15, 2017 marks the 15th anniversary of the seizure of Palestinian political leader, General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmad Sa’adat, by the Palestinian Authority under the policy of “security cooperation,” at the behest of Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom. Today, after a 2006 attack on the Jericho prison by Israeli occupation forces, Sa’adat is serving a 30-year sentence in occupation prisons, convicted in a military court of leading a prohibited organization and incitement.

Ahmad Sa’adat is a leader of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement and a leader of the Palestinian national liberation movement, held behind bars with 7,000 fellow leaders of the Palestinian people. There are thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, on the front line of the struggle for freedom. In the past year, over 6,000 Palestinians were arrested by Israeli occupation forces. These Palestinian political prisoners are the leaders of resistance to occupation, targeted for their role in refusing racism, colonialism, apartheid and occupation.

The imprisonment of Ahmad Sa’adat and his fellow Palestinian political prisoners is aided and assisted by the complicity of international states and major corporations. The United States and United Kingdom guarded Sa’adat in a Palestinian Authority prison and cleared the way for an Israeli attack, ensuring Sa’adat and his comrades came under fire. And the political, military and economic support these and other states, including the European Union and Canada, provide to the Israeli occupation allows the continued imprisonment and extrajudicial execution of Palestinians with impunity. Further, corporations like Hewlett Packard (HP) profit from the imprisonment of Palestinians by selling their services to the Israeli Prison Service.

On January 13-15, 2017, we join in a collective call for international action for the freedom of Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian political prisoners. We demand an end to the internationally-mandated policy of Palestinian Authority “security coordination” that undermines the Palestinian struggle for freedom. And we urge the escalation of the campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against the Israeli state and complicit institutions and corporations, including HP, to create, as Sa’adat said, “a real economic cost for the industries of colonization.”

We echo the call to organize events, actions and protests in cities, town squares, campuses and public spaces to break the isolation of the prisoners, and demand freedom now for Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian political prisoners.

Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Handala Center for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners
Palestinian Prisoners’ Committee
Coup Pour Coup 31
International Red Aid / Secours Rouge International
Collectif pour la Libération de Georges Ibrahim Abdallah – Paris

See the full list of endorsers.

Events are already being scheduled in New York City, Albuquerque, Brussels, Berlin, Manchester, Italy and elsewhere. Please share your event with us or email samidoun@samidoun.net.

To join the call, please email samidoun@samidoun.net or sign on to the form. This call is open to organizational endorsements.

Original Call from the Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat: Read in English | Arabic | French | Italian

Scheduled Events:

New York City – Thursday, January 12, Meeting on anti-inauguration marches, Palestinian political prisoners. 7:00 pm, Solidarity Center, 147 W. 24th St., NYC

New York City – Friday, January 13, Protest to Free Ahmad Sa’adat and Stop HP! 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, Best Buy Union Square (53 E. 14th St.) , NYC. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/362798944095466/. Organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Albuquerque – Friday, January 13, Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian Prisoners. 6:00 pm, SouthWest Organizing Project, 211 10th St SW, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1917752155121856/. Organized by Irish Americans for Socialism and Liberation

Brussels – Friday, January 13. Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat! 7:30 pm, Local Sacco Vanzetti, 54 chaussee de Forest, Brussels 1060. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1334357123293510/. Organized by Secours Rouge and Samidoun, endorsed by Mouvement Citoyen Palestine

Copenhagen – Friday, January 13. Solidarity with Ahmad Sa’adat, PFLP’s general secretary,
and all Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli Prisons. 5 pm, Solidaritetshuset, Griffenfeldsgade 41, Nørrebro (the shop)

Toulouse – Friday, January 13. Table of Information for Ahmad Sa’adat and Palestinian Prisoners. 6:00 pm, Metro Jean Jaures, 31000 Toulouse, France, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/996856710418892/

Manchester – Saturday, January 14. Boycott Barclays Protest! 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester. Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1279998228726828/. Organized by Manchester Boycott Israel Group

Hilton Head – Saturday January 14. Vigil for Ahmad Sa’adat. 10 am, Highway 278 at HH Library, Hilton Head, South Carolina

London – Saturday, 14 January. Tabling to Free Ahmad Sa’adat and Palestinian Prisoners. 12:00 pm, Court Street, Whitechapel, E1, London. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1750880001895240/ Organized by the East London Revolutionary Communist Group

Milan – Saturday, 14 January. Vigil under the prison of Opera, in solidarity with all prisoners, against isolation (in Italy named 41 Bis), for the liberation of Comrade Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian prisoners. Organized by Fronte Palestina – Details to come

Florence – Saturday, 14 January. Campi Bisenzio – leafleting for the release of Palestinian prisoners and Ahmad Sa’adat, during the vigil to remember Operation Cast Lead. Organized by Fronte Palestina – Details to come

Padova – Saturday, 14 January. display of banners in the city and a radio broadcast about the Palestinian prisoners situation and Comrade Ahmad Sa’adat in the evening broadcast of Radiazione Web radio. Organized by Fronte Palestina – Details to come

Berlin – Sunday, January 15. Palestinian Contingent in the Liebknecht-Luxemburg-Lenin March. 9:30 am, gather at U-Bahnhof Frankfurter Tor. Organized by the Democratic Palestine Committees-Berlin.

Paris – Sunday, January 15. Protest gathering for freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat. 3:00 pm,
Ménilmontant (Paris Métro), 75020 Paris, France, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/252049355226418/

MORE EVENTS TBA in Italy – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1739069739753137/, Ireland, and more. We urge you to organize events and please share your event with us or email samidoun@samidoun.net.

Materials and Resources:

	English poster for the International Days of Action to Free Ahmad Sa’adat Download as PDF Download as PNG
	Case of Ahmad Sa’adat – Free Palestinian Prisoners Leaflet (PDF, English)
	Facebook Cover Photo/Banner for the International Days of Action – Download as PNG
	Protest Placard for International Week of Action – Boycott HP, Free Ahmad Sa’adat. Download as PDF
	Protest Placard for International Week of Action – Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Palestinian Prisoners. Download as PDF
	Protest Placard for International Week of Action – Free Ahmad Sa’adat and all Political Prisoners. Download as PDF
	Arabic poster for the International Days of Action to Free Ahmad Sa’adat Download as PNG
	Arabic Facebook Cover Photo/Banner for the International Days of Action – Download as PNG
	French Poster Image for the International Days of Action – Download as JPG
	French Facebook Cover Photo/Banner for the International Days of Action – Download as PNG
	Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat and Georges Abdallah Facebook cover image

Palestinian child prisoner Shadi Farrah, 13, to face hearing on Wednesday

3 January 2017

Hearings will take place in the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 4 January in the cases of two child prisoners from Jerusalem: Shadi Farrah, 13, one of the youngest Palestinian prisoners, and Marah Bakir, 17.

Shadi has been imprisoned just over one year, having been arrested by Zionist occupation forces on 30 December 2015. He and fellow child prisoner Ahmad al-Zaatari have been accused of possession of a knife and have been held in a children’s detention center outside the regular occupation prisons.

On the other hand, Marah has been imprisoned since 10 December 2015 and is suffering from difficult health conditions since her arrest. She is expected to be sentenced tomorrow.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 3 January, Asra Media reported that the Israeli occupation military prosecutor had filed an indictment against detained Palestinian girl Iman Ali, 17, of Qalqilya, accusing her of attempting to engage in a resistance operation. Iman was arrested at a checkpoint south of Qalqilya on 16 December 2016, accused of possession of a knife.

Also on Tuesday, the detention of Amal Jamal Kabha, 16, of the village of Toura south of Jenin, was extended for the 12th consecutive time for the “completion of investigation.” Amal’s father said that she was arrested by occupation soldiers on 14 August 2016 at the military checkpoint at the village of Barta’a. She is held in HaSharon prison and denied family visits; her father has been banned from visiting her because he is a former prisoner.

Palestinian youth activist’s family harassed, raided as he remains outside occupation custody

3 January 2017

Israeli occupation forces have continued to raid the family home of Palestinian youth activist Basil al-Araj in Al-Walaja village near Bethlehem. Over the past four months, since al-Araj’s release from Palestinian Authority prison, his family home has been raided on numerous occasions and al-Araj has never been found.. He had been imprisoned with five other youths, who launched a hunger strike demanding their release after five months of imprisonment without charge or trial. Four of his fellow youths – Haitham Siyaj, Seif al-Idrissi, Mohammed al-Salameen and Mohammed Harb – have been arrested and ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial.

On Tuesday, 3 January in the pre-dawn hours, occupation forces again invaded the family home, ransacking the house and issuing summons for Al-Araj’s mother, 53, father, 55, and two brothers Said, 34, and Mohammed, 26, for questioning with the Israeli occupation intelligence at the Etzion interrogation center south of Bethlehem.

Mohammed al-Araj told Quds News that occupation forces had previously raided the home and arrested him, noting that this was an attempt to pressure his brother to turn himself in. His mother also stated that his uncles’ homes had been searched and their possessions ransacked. On one day, the Araj family home was stormed three times by occupation forces in one 24-hour period.

Mohammed Alaqimah suspends hunger strike after eight days

3 January 2017

Palestinian administrative detainee Mohammed Alaqimah, 27, suspended his hunger strike after eight days on Tuesday, 3 January, reported Asra Voice. Alaqimah is from the village of Barta’a near Jenin.

He ended his strike reportedly after receiving assurances that his administrative detention will not be renewed again after his current imprisonment without charge or trial.

He launched his strike in protest of the renewal of his administrative detention and was put in solitary confinement in the Negev desert prison yesterday. He was arrested by occupation forces on 15 August at the checkpoint at Barta’a and was ordered to four months in administrative detention without charge or trial; the order was renewed in mid-December.

Administrative detention orders are issued from one to six months at a time. They are indefinitely renewable and based only on “secret evidence,” imprisoning Palestinians at times for years at a time without charge or trial.

35 Palestinians seized by occupation forces

3 January 2017

On Tuesday morning, 3 January, Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of arrests against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank of Palestine, seizing 35 Palestinian civilians across the area, including eight children. Those seized by occupation forces on Tuesday morning include:

In Nablus:

1. Nimer Khaled al-Hindi, former prisoner and student at An-Najah University
2. Asad Khaled Rehan, former prisoner
3. Suhaib Hamad, student at An-Najah University
4. Ahmad Alsahly, Balata camp
5. Mohammed Shuraiah, former prisoner, seized by special forces, Balata camp
6. Safwat al-Asi, Balata camp
7. Oday Oweis, Balata camp
8. Eyad Hashash, Balata camp
9. Ismail Marshoud, Balata camp
10. Mohammed Atta Masouma, Balata camp
11. Ahmad Mahmoud Yousef Taqatqa, 16 years old, Beit Fajjar
12. Mohammed Walid Najib Thawabta, 16 years old, Beit Fajjar
13. Ahmad Jihad Ali Thawabta, 16 years old, Beit Fajjar
14. Nour Naser Ahmad Thawabta, 16 years old, Beit Fajjar
15. Khaled Mohammed Fayez Taqatqa, 15 years old, Beit Fajjar
16. Osama Abed Rabbo Abdel-Fattah Thawabta, 14 years old, Beit Fajjar
17. Bilal Shaher Saber Duroua, 15 years old, Beit Fajjar
18. Ibrahim Yousef al-Faqih, Marah Rabah
19. Ahmad Mohammed Jaddo, Aida camp

Silwad, Ramallah:

20. Awni Faris
21. Mohammed Abdel-Nasser Hamid
22. Jihad Hamed
23. Ayman Marei Hamed
24. Khalil Marei Hamad

Qalqilya:

25. Anas Hamed
26. Haithem Hassanein

Elsewhere:
27. Mohammed Amarneh, Yabad, Jenin
28. Ziad Zeidat, Bani Naim, al-Khalil
29. Sael Zeidat, Bani Naim, al-Khalil
30. Adel Barakat Gheith, al-Khalil
31. Ali al-Jabri, al-Khalil
32. Murad Najweh, al-Khalil
33. Rezeq Khalil Tameizi, al-Khalil
34. Ghassan Abdel-Azim al-Qaisi, al-Khalil
35. Mohammed Hashim al-Faqih, Qatana, Jerusalem

TAKE ACTION: Urgent call to free Nael Barghouthi, longest-held Palestinian prisoner

3 January 2017

Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouthi, 59 has been imprisoned for 36 years in Israeli jails, and he is the longest-held Palestinian political prisoner. Today, on the basis of so-called “secret evidence,” he is threatened with the re-imposition of life imprisonment with no charges and no legitimate trial.

Along with over 1,000 fellow prisoners, he was released in 2011 as part of the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange. While he married after his release and returned to his life, in 2014, he was swept up with other former prisoners in a series of arrests. Under Israeli military order 1651 – violating the release agreement – re-arrested prisoners can have their former sentences reimposed upon them by a military committee on the basis of secret evidence. This secret evidence is denied to both the prisoner and their lawyer.

Sign and share the petition: https://www.change.org/p/international-officials-pressure-israel-to-free-nael-barghouthi

Even with this secret evidence, Nael Barghouthi was ordered to 30 months in prison, a sentence that ended in mid-December. He has remained in prison due to an appeal by the military prosecution, seeking the re-imposition of a life sentence on the basis of so-called secret evidence. Barghouthi continues to be denied visits from his wife, Iman Nafie, as she is also a former political prisoner in Israeli jails.

The next hearing in his case will take place on 3 January and his case will continue to the highest levels. Iman Nafie has pledged to pursue this case in all legal venues to demand freedom for her husband.

UPDATE (January 3): The hearing in the case of Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouthi, 59, the longest-held Palestinian prisoner, was postponed until tomorrow, Wednesday 4 January, at the Ofer military court. This is a critical moment to keep up the pressure!

TAKE ACTION:

Sign and share the Change.org petition to urge international officials to take action for Nael Barghouthi’s release: https://www.change.org/p/international-officials-pressure-israel-to-free-nael-barghouthi

Organize a protest, demonstration, speaking event or banner drop in your city, community or campus calling for freedom for Nael Barghouthi and his fellow Palestinian prisoners.

Write to Israeli officials to demand Nael Barghouthi’s release. Write a message and email or fax it to the officials below. Contact information and sample letter follow:

Contact information:

Minister of Defence
Avigdor Liberman
Ministry of Defence
37 Kaplan Street
Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 73 323 3300
Email: minister@mod.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister

Minister of Justice
Ayelet Shaked
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street
Jerusalem, 91010, Israel
Fax: +972 2 640 8402
Email: sar@justice.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Ministe

Attorney General
Avichai Mendelbilt
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street
Jerusalem 91010, Israel
Fax: +972 2 530 3367
Email: ishkat-yoetz@justice.gov.il

Military Judge Advocate General
Brigadier General Sharon Afek
Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel
Fax: +972 3 569 4526
Email: Mag@idf.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Judge Advocate General

Commander of the IOF – West Bank
Major-General Roni Numa
GOC Central Command
Military Post 01149, Battalion 877
Israel Defense Forces, Israel
Fax: +972 2 530 5741, +972 2 530 5724
Salutation: Dear Major-General Roni Numa

Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan
Kiryat Hamemshala
PO Box 18182
Jerusalem 91181, Israel
Fax: +972 2 584 7872
Email: gerdan@knesset.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister

Sample Letter:

Dear Ministers,

I write today to demand immediate release of the longest-held Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouthi, held for a total of 36 years in Israeli prisons. Nael Barghouthi is being threatened with the re-imposition of his life sentence on the basis of so-called “secret evidence” by an arbitrary Israeli military committee.

Nael Barghouthi was released with over 1,000 prisoners in the 2011 Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange. In 2014, along with dozens of fellow released prisoners, Barghouthi was re-arrested. Under Israeli military order 1651 – that contravenes the term of the prisoner release – re-arrested prisoners can have their former sentences reimposed upon them by a military committee on the basis of secret evidence.

Barghouthi was originally sentenced to 30 months on the basis of secret evidence, yet the Israeli military continues to pursue him and seek the re-imposition of his life sentence. He has also been denied family visits with his wife on the pretext of “security” as she is a former prisoner.

I demand the immediate release of Nael Barghouthi and an end to the re-imposition of former prisoners’ sentences on the basis of so-called secret information. This is an attempt to use Palestinian former prisoners as political hostages in future prisoner exchanges and to violate the exchange agreement itself. His continued detention is arbitrary and unjust, and I demand his immediate freedom.

Sincerely,

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