Saturday, 27 February
3:00 pm
Presidio alla RAI
Corso Sempione 27, Milano
Liberate Palestinian Journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq!
Break the wall of silence! Denounce the racist and repressive Zionist system. Demand the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners and an end to the inhuman practice of administrative detention. Denounce the silence of media and official institutions in the face of ongoing Israeli state terror.
Despite rumors and Israeli media reports since yesterday, no agreement or deal has yet been reached in the case of Mohammed al-Qeeq, Palestinian journalist on hunger strike for the 89th day. He remains held in HaEmek hospital in Afula, and the Israeli military continues to prohibit him from receiving family visits from his wife and children, claiming “security” reasons. The prohibition on family visits is scheduled to be reviewed on Sunday by Israeli courts.
Reports from Israel’s Channel 10 and elsewhere indicated that “a deal” would be reached some time Saturday or Sunday, but Fayha Shalash, Al-Qeeq’s wife, warned in a press conference on Saturday evening, 20 February, that no deal has yet been reached and that Al-Qeeq’s situation is medically desperate and worsening, needing attention now more than ever. She demanded the Palestinian Authority take stronger action to free her husband and secure his liberation from administrative detention without charge or trial. She warned that rumors and unconfirmed reports of agreements to release al-Qeeq may distract from his urgent situation.
Also on Saturday evening, police with sniffer dogs stormed HaEmek hospital where a large group of Palestinians have gathered in solidarity with al-Qeeq, several on hunger strike, raising greater fears for al-Qeeq’s life. Earlier in the day, Mohammed Kana’aneh reported from inside the hospital that al-Qeeq was experiencing severe chest pains but rejecting treatment even after doctors rushed to his room on multople occasions.
Al-Qeeq has been on hunger strike since 25 November 2015; he was held under administrative detention without charge or trial. His administrative detention was allegedly “suspended,” but he has been forbidden transfer to a Palestinian hospital and even family visits from his wife and children. Palestinian sources have reported that there are ongoing negotiations regarding his situation. Samidoun will provide updates upon confirmation, and urges all to continue and intensify efforts to free al-Qeeq and all Palestinian prisoners.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes Albert Woodfox on the occasion of his release from prison after 45 years, including 43 years of torturous solitary confinement, in Angola Prison in Louisiana.
Woodfox was the last remaining imprisoned member of the Angola 3, along with Herman Wallace and Robert King, who organized a section of the Black Panther Party in the Angola Prison challenging horrific racism, segregation and systematic corruption and abuse in the prison, built on an 18,000-acre former slave plantation.
They organized hunger strikes and work stoppages within the prison. The three were thrown in solitary confinement in 1972, accused of involvement in the 1972 killing of a prison guard, despite no physical evidence and only one discredited, bribed witness. After years of struggle, King was freed in 2001 and Wallace in 2013 – who died just four days after being released from prison.
Woodfox’s conviction was overturned three times, and a federal judge ordered his immediate release – yet the state of Louisiana attempted again and again to deny his freedom. It refused to release him from solitary confinement, with Warden Burl Cain quoted as saying that “I still know that he is still trying to practice Black Pantherism, and I still would not want him walking around my prison because he would organize the young new inmates.”
On 19 February, his 69th birthday, Woodfox finally walked free from Angola prison. Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes his victory, steadfastness and constant struggle through 45 years of racist torture. We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners in US prisons, including all of Woodfox’s fellow Black Panther and Black Liberation political prisoners including Mumia Abu-Jamal, Russell Maroon Shoatz, Mutulu Shakur and nearly 20 fellow prisoners, Oscar Lopez Rivera, Leonard Peltier, and the Holy Land Five.
Photos via Andy Stepanian.
We reproduce below the statement of the International Campaign to Free the Angola 3:
Just moments ago, Albert Woodfox, the last remaining member of the Angola 3 still behind bars, was released from prison 43 years and 10 months after he was first put in a 6×9 foot solitary cell for a crime he did not commit. After decades of costly litigation, Louisiana State officials have at last acted in the interest of justice and reached an agreement that brings a long overdue end to this nightmare. Albert has maintained his innocence at every step, and today, on his 69th birthday, he will finally begin a new phase of his life as a free man.
In anticipation of his release this morning, Albert thanked his many supporters and added: “Although I was looking forward to proving my innocence at a new trial, concerns about my health and my age have caused me to resolve this case now and obtain my release with this no-contest plea to lesser charges. I hope the events of today will bring closure to many.”
Over the course of the past four decades, Albert’s conviction was overturned three separate times for a host of constitutional violations including prosecutorial misconduct, inadequate defense, racial discrimination in the selection of the grand jury foreperson, and suppression of exculpatory evidence. On June 8th, 2015, Federal Judge James Brady ordered Albert’s immediate release and barred the State from retrying Albert, an extraordinary ruling that he called “the only just remedy.” A divided panel of the 5th Circuit Court of appealsreversed that order in November with the dissenting Judge arguing that “If ever a case justifiably could be considered to present ‘exceptional circumstances’ barring re-prosecution, this is that case.” That ruling was on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court when news of his release broke.
On behalf of the Angola 3 – Albert Woodfox, Robert King, and in memory of Herman Wallace – we would like to sincerely thank all the organizations, activists, artists, legal experts, and other individuals who have so graciously given their time and talent to the Angola 3’s extraordinary struggle for justice. This victory belongs to all of us and should motivate us to stand up and demand even more fervently that long-term solitary confinement be abolished, and all the innocent and wrongfully incarcerated be freed.
New York City activists protested outside the offices of security corporation G4S on Friday, 19 February, demanding that G4S get out of the business of profiting from the imprisonment of Palestinians, and calling for freedom for Mohammed al-Qeeq, the Palestinian journalist on his 87th day of hunger strike, demanding his release from Israeli administrative detention without charge or trial.
The latest weekly protest organized by Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network targeted the security corporation, subject to an international boycott campaign. Palestinian prisoners have called for an international boycott of G4S, and over 200 Palestinian and international organizations have called on the United Nations to stop doing business with the corporation, which provides security systems, equipment and control rooms to Israeli prisons, detention centers, and checkpoints.
Protesters highlighted the case of Mohammed al-Qeeq, who launched his hunger strike in protest of his torture under interrogation in Israeli detention centers – to which G4S provides security equpment – and then of his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention. After nearly three months of hunger strike, Al-Qeeq is in extremely critical condition and threatened with death at any time. Participants distributed information about G4S and al-Qeeq’s case, demanding his immediate release.
Arab and Palestinian organizations in Berlin, Germany came together on Friday, 19 February to protest for freedom for imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, 33, as he entered his 87th day of hunger strike in protest of his detention without charge or trial. Despite the ostensible “suspension” of his administrative detention by the Israeli Supreme Court, he remains a prisoner in HaEmek hospital in Afula – denied transfer to a Palestinian hospital in Ramallah.
Al-Qeeq is in severely critical condition; he began his hunger strike on 25 November 2015, originally in protest of his torture under interrogation and then in protest of his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention, alongside approximately 690 other Palestinians, among nearly 7,000 Palestinian prisoners in total held in Israeli occupation prisons.
Protesters demanded the immediate release of Al-Qeeq and called on the German government and the European Union to take action to pressure the Israeli state to free him.
Photos by Afif El-Ali
Mohammed Zawahreh, the brother of Moataz Zawahreh, the Palestinian activist from Dheisheh refugee camp killed by Israeli forces as he participated in a demonstration against the occupation in October, and of Ghassan Zawahreh, former administrative detainee and hunger striker who was freed in November 2015 as part of the Battle of Breaking the Chains, was ordered to six months administrative detention by an Israeli occupation military order on 16 February.
Like the other 690 Palestinians held in administrative detention without charge or trial, Zawahreh faces no accusations and has no opportunity to defend himself. The so-called “secret file” created by Israeli intelligence is used against him and both he and his lawyer are denied access. Zawahreh, who with his whole family is a Palestinian refugee and activist leader in the camp, was previously detained for five years by Israeli military occupation forces. Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, 33, is currently on his 87th day of hunger strike in protest of his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention.
In addition, Daoud al-Ghoul, the organizer of youth programs in Jerusalem for the Palestinian Health Work Committees, was sentenced on 18 February to 18 months imprisonment for alleged “membership in a prohibited organization.” All major Palestinian political parties are labeled prohibited organizations under Israeli military orders. Following al-Ghoul’s visit to Europe in October 2014, where he spoke before the European Parliament about the conditions faced by Palestinians in Jerusalem and ongoing Israeli occupation attempts to drive them out, he was first barred from his city of Jerusalem and then barred from the West Bank entirely.
On 30 June 2015, al-Ghoul was arrested by Israeli occupation forces, despite calls around the world for his freedom; his work as a youth organizer and Palestinian health leader is internationally renowned.
Activists in Venice organized an action in support of Omar Nayef Zayed, the former Palestinian prisoner now sought for extradition by Israel from Bulgaria, on Thursday, 18 February.
Zayed, who escaped Israeli imprisonment in 1990 after a 40-day hunger strike, has lived in Bulgaria for the past 22 years; he has a Bulgarian wife and three Bulgarian children. He is now being pursued, since December 2015, by Bulgarian police and officials at the request of the Israeli state, which has demanded he be turned over for extradition and the reimposition of a life sentence.
The Bulgarian authorities have not succeeded in capturing Zayed to date; however, he remains at high risk. In addition, his case sets a dangerous precedent for other Palestinians in Europe, as Israel is attempting to invoke the Council of Europe’s treaty on criminal extradition to seize this former Palestinian political prisoner.
The Association Ya Basta! Edi Bese! displayed a banner on the island of San Giorgio, where, in 1980, the European Council noted the “recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” Activists raised a banner with the words: “Justice for Omar. No extradition!”
They called for support for the call for justice for Omar Nayef Zayed posted at Samidoun, and wide action for justice for Omar.
At the same time, Palestinians in Jenin gathered to demand justice for Zayed, originally from Jenin where he grew up and lived his entire life until his arrest by Israeli forces in 1986. They demanded that the Bulgarian government stop acting as police and security forces of the Israeli occupation attempting to jail a Palestinian prisoner accused of struggling for the freedom of his people.
Palestinian students from Al-Quds University, studying as part of an exchange program at SciencesPo in Paris, organized with fellow students a solidarity action with imprisoned Palestinian journalist, Mohammed al-Qeeq, now on his 87th day of hunger strike.
The students, who organize with the Progressive Student Labor Front in Palestine, posted signs, banners and videos about al-Qeeq’s struggle, his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention, and the mass imprisonment of nearly 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners.
They distributed a petition, demanding al-Qeeq’s freedom, winning wide support and solidarity from fellow university students.
Imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq is entering his 87th day of hunger strike and facing a severe medical crisis. Mohammed Kana’aneh, former Palestinian prisoner and leader in the Abnaa el-Balad movement in occupied Palestine ’48, reported that al-Qeeq was experiencing severe respiratory problems, severe chest pains and difficulty breathing, and had requested to see his wife and children on the morning of Friday, 19 February.
Kana’aneh is one of several Palestinian leaders from ’48 from across the Palestinian political spectrum who have launched a hunger strike in solidarity with al-Qeeq, including Sheikh Raed Salah and Mohammed Barakeh. Kana’aneh also reported that a large group of Palestinians from ’48, who hold Israeli citizenship, had gathered at HaEmek hospital in Afula and were then attacked and chased out by Israeli special forces, who arrested several of the participants. They have set up a picket line outside the entrance to the hospital, demanding freedom for Mohammed al-Qeeq and his right to be transferred to a Palestinian hospital in freedom, which was denied by the Israeli Supreme Court on Tuesday, 16 February.
Protests continued throughout Palestine demanding freedom for al-Qeeq, and a group of Birzeit University students launched a hunger strike in support of his struggle. Al-Qeeq is a Birzeit graduate; he was a student leader during his time at the university.
On Thursday, Fayha Shalash, al-Qeeq’s wife, posted a brief English language video appealing for international support for the imprisoned journalist, who has been on hunger strike since 25 November, initially in protest of his torture under interrogation and then in protest of his administrative detention without charge or trial.
Shalash called on people around the world to support al-Qeeq’s struggle for freedom:
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network calls for EMERGENCY ACTION everywhere in the world to save Mohammed al-Qeeq and secure his freedom, in every city, on every campus, in every community. Events and actions have taken place in London, New York, Montreal, Berlin, Dublin, Brussels, Nicosia, Lebanon, and throughout Palestine. Now is the time for protests, sit-ins, flyering, tabling, and call-in actions to raise the voice and the profile of Mohammed al-Qeeq and create real popular pressure for his immediate release.
Take Action:
1. Contact government officials and demand that they break their silence on Al-Qeeq and support for Israeli violations of Palestinian rights. In the United States, call the Israel Foreign Service Desk
1-202-647-3672 and the White House – 202-456-1111. Demand action on al-Qeeq’s case and an end to aid to Israel. In the UK, call UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Philip Hammond, MP, +44 20 7008 1500. In Canada, call Foreign Minister Stephane Dion: 613-996-5789.
2. Protest at an Israeli consulate or embassy (or federal building, G4S office or public square) and demand freedom for Mohammed al-Qeeq. Raise the issue of this case publicly and distribute information – this flyer is available for you to distribute at protests in your community. Find your closest Israeli consulate: http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/israel. Please email us at samidoun@samidoun.netto inform us of your action – we will publicize and share news with the prisoners.
3. Boycott, Divest and Sanction. Palestinians have urged an international boycott of Israeli goods and institutions – and corporations that profit from occupation , like G4S, the world’s largest private security company, that sells security equipment to Israeli prisons, checkpoints and police training centers – directly profiting from the occupation that destroys Palestinian lives. At the same time G4S profits from occupation, institutions like the United Nations continue to do business with it. Go to addameer.org/UNdropG4S to take action!
Saturday, 20 February
3:00 pm
Domplatte
Cologne, Germany
The European Alliance in Defence of European Detainees is calling for a demonstration in Cologne, Germany (Köln) to demand freedom for imprisoned hunger-striking Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq. Al-Qeeq, threatened with death at any moment, will be on his 88th day of hunger strike.
