The Palestinian Prisoners Society has submitted an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court calling for the transfer of imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq from HaEmek hospital in Afula to a Palestinian hospital.

Al-Qeeq has now been on hunger strike for 80 days against his administrative detention without charge or trial. His administrative detention was “suspended” and he was unshackled; however, his detention was not ended and he is essentially held as a prisoner in the hospital. He has lost much of his hearing and ability to speak; doctors describe him as in danger of death at any time, experiencing medical consequences that will continue after his detention.

In an urgent press conference convened on Friday night, 12 February, al-Qeeq’s wife, Fayha Shalash, called for meaningful action to free her husband at official and popular levels.  Saying that al-Qeeq is “closer to death than to life,” Shalash called for people to take the streets in protest, and demanded action from Palestinian Authority officials as well as Palestinian political parties and factions.

On Wednesday, 10 February, a group of supporters of al-Qeeq arrived at Afula hospital with an ambulance demanding al-Qeeq’s release to Ramallah hospital. They were surrounded by large numbers of police, who attacked their raising of the Palestinian flag. The day before, hundreds of demonstrators, mostly ’48 Palestinians, gathered outside the hospital, demanding al-Qeeq’s release. Another protest will gather outside the hospital on Saturday, 13 February.

Protests across Palestine today, Friday 12 February, demanded al-Qeeq’s release – from Ramallah, to Jenin refugee camp, to Nabi Saleh, to Gaza, to al-Khalil. Father Manuel Hanna Musallam, priest of the Latin Church in Palestine, launched a three-day fast in solidarity with al-Qeeq.

Addressing al-Qeeq, Musallam said “Israel will be brought before international courts for its counterfeit condemnations of Palestinians….Your message has reached the entire world. Stop at death’s door but never cross it. We need you to teach our younger generations the true meaning of patience and resistance. You forced the enemy to concede defeat. We would like you to live for Palestine.”

As voices in Palestine grow to demand the release of Al-Qeeq and international movements join the call, Makarim Wibisono, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, said on Thursday 11 February: “Hundreds of Palestinians being held, now including children, often under secret evidence, and for up to six-month terms that can be renewed indefinitely, is not consistent with international human rights standards.”

However, international official voices have been limited to words, while grassroots movements have been demanding real action: boycott, divestment and sanctions against the Israeli state. People around the world called in to the White House demanding that the U.S. pressure Israel to release al-Qeeq, while protesters in New York marched outside the offices of security corporation G4S, calling for a boycott of the human-rights abusing company and an end to its involvement in the torture and imprisonment of Palestinians.

In Berlin, BDS Berlin organized an information table at Internationalism Days focusing on al-Qeeq and calling for his immediate release.

Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, 33, has entered his 80th day of hunger strike, protesting his administrative detention by the Israeli state – imprisonment without charge or trial. Al-Qeeq, a journalist with Al-Majd TV, launched his hunger strike on 25 November while being subject to torture under Israeli interrogation, then continued the strike in protest of the order for his imprisonment without charge or trial.

Al-Qeeq’s medical situation is dire – he is currently under constant medical supervision in HaEmek hospital in Afula. Doctors have stated that he has suffered medical damage that may be impossible to fully recover from and will continue to impact his life following his detention.

He has refused all treatment by the Israeli hospital and rejected a Supreme Court decision that “suspended” rather than ended his administrative detention and forbade him from leaving the hospital. He requested a transfer to a Palestinian hospital in Ramallah, which was denied. Al-Qeeq is demanding an immediate end to his administrative detention; he refused a proposal for his release on 1 May, which would mark the normal end of the six-month administrative detention order. Because his detention has been “suspended,” al-Qeeq can receive visitors despite his inability to speak – recent visitors have included Archbishop Attallah Hanna.

Despite this, the Israeli state has not proposed any meaningful agreements or substantial proposals to end the suffering of al-Qeeq. Solidarity actions are continuing inside and outside Palestine with al-Qeeq as he reaches his 80th day of hunger strike; protests have taken place in Ramallah, Bir Zeit University, refugee camps throughout Palestine including Aida and Dheisheh, Nablus and Gaza in support of al-Qeeq in recent days, in addition to protests in Berlin, other German cities, New York and elsewhere. The Palestinians in Europe Conference also agitated for al-Qeeq’s release.

Amnesty International has issued a new urgent public statement on Al-Qeeq, while questions in the European Parliament and an appeal from the Ambassadorial Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have urged al-Qeeq’s release. In Samidoun’s meetings with European parliamentarians accompanying Leila Khaled, the issue of al-Qeeq was raised constantly and elicited strong verbal support.

Samidoun is urging people around the world to call the U.S. White House to urge action on Al-Qeeq today, his 80th day of hunger strike, and to join the New York City protest for his freedom.

Photos from demonstrations to free Al-Qeeq: