Hassan Safadi’s administrative detention renewed for additional four months

9 September 2012

Palestinian hunger striking prisoner Hassan Safadi, who has been held under administrative detention without charge or trial, once again had his detention renewed by four months in an administrative order from the Israeli military court in Ofer. The court had delayed for more than two weeks in making this order, stating that “the issue was complex,” according to Palestinian Prisoners Club lawyer Jawad Boulos. This decision reaffirmed a preliminary decision of June 29, 2012.

In the decision, Boulos said, the judge rejected Safadi’s argument pointing out that his release was called for in the agreement between the Palestinian prisoners and Israel Prison Services in May 2012, which ended the mass hunger strike of thousands of prisoners and included a pledge to not renew the administrative detention of existing detainees, as well as particular note on this topic for long-term hunger strikers, of which Safadi was one, having struck for 74 days at the time.

Instead, Boulos noted, as expected and as is the norm in Israeli military courts, all claims of the military intelligence were accepted due to alleged secret evidence. Safadi’s health situation is deeply precarious as he is now on hunger strike for an additional 81 days. He began his strike when he was not released as promised in June 2012. His detention is scheduled for a new review on October 29, 2012, but he is demanding his immediate release.

Safadi’s mother is also suffering medically, having been hospitalized. She suffers from multiple serious health conditions. Safadi wrote the following letter to his mother, published in the Electronic Intifada on July 29, 2012:

“First I want to thank you dear mother for your wonderful letter, whose every word penetrated my heart and immersed me in happiness, love and tenderness. I am blessed to have a mother like you. Please thank everyone who stood in solidarity and prayed for me.

What increased my happiness and contentment was you writing that you raise your head up proudly because of me…I hope your head will always be lifted high and your spirits elevated oh loved one. As for waiting for my release, I remind you mother we are believers.

We are waiting for God’s mercy with patience…as Prophet Muhammad related God’s words, “I am as my slave thinks…” As you await my release, think positively and God willing, God will not leave you and your work and He will not disappoint your expectations.

Thank God I have a mother like you, a patient believer who prays for me from her heart, and I thank you dear mother for the beautiful song you wrote that warmed my chest as I read the lyrics..

Congratulations to Nelli’s [his sister] twins…I pray to God they will be attributed to Muslims and to Islam and for them to receive the best upbringing, and for their time to be better than our time.

Say hello and salute Abu Jamal and thank him for his efforts and say hello to Ayah and Amir and tell them I miss them, tell everyone who asked about me I say hello, and pray for them.

How beautiful the last line in your letter is! “God is with you, may He protect you and take care of you…I leave you in His safe hands.”

Please mother, always pray for me using those words especially in the month of Ramadan, happy holidays.

Your son”

Via Ma’an Arabic.

Click here to take action for Hassan Safadi and his fellow hunger strikers.

Sa’adat to appear in occupation court September 9

8 September 2012

Imprisoned Palestinian national leader Ahmad Sa’adat, the General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, is scheduled to appear in an occupation court on Sunday, September 9 in Jerusalem, Addameer stated.

This will be Sa’adat’s first appearance in public in over three years, since he was released from isolation in May 2012 following the prisoners’ hunger strike. He had been held in solitary confinement since March 2009. Addameer reports that Sa’adat will be speaking about the latest hunger strike of April-May 2012, and the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in occupation jails following the strike.

Solidarity hunger strike continues at American University in Washington, DC

8 September 2012

Students at American University in Washington, DC continued their open-ended solidarity hunger strike with Palestinian prisoners over the weekend, planning to continue to set up a solidarity fast in the Quad over the week to come. The students have set up a facebook page for promotion and solidarity: https://www.facebook.com/events/304594476314407

The action was organized by Students for Justice in Palestine at American University, a student group that works to build solidarity for Palestinian rights, and called for freedom for hunger strikers Samer al-Barq, Hassan Safadi and Ayman Sharawna. The students also encouraged supporters to write to Israeli officials urging their release.

One of the student hunger strikers was interviewed in the following video:

Student hunger strikers also spoke with Spanish-language HispanTV:

London, Sept. 9: Protest for hunger strikers and imprisoned footballers

8 September 2012

A protest in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners will take place in London on Sunday 9th September 5-7pm
by St Martin in the Fields, London WC2N 4JJ [near Trafalgar Sq and the Mall’s Paralympics Marathon]. The protest will call for the release of the 4 Palestinian hunger strikers: Safadi (150 day), Barq (141 day), Sharawna (68 day), and Issawi (37 days), imprisoned without charge or trial.

Sept. 15: London protest for Palestinian prisoners

8 September 2012

The London Palestinian Prisoners Campaign Group will hold its next fortnightly protest on Saturday, September 15 from 4-6PM outside the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) – KING CHARLES STREET/PARLIAMENT STREET (CLOSEST TUBE – WESTMINSTER TUBE STATION). More information on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/193030774163837/

Previous protest photos are here.
‘Protest in solidarity with Palestinian child prisoners & hunger strikers

Join us on Saturday 15th September 2012 at 4pm outside the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to demand the FCO act on the findings of the report by the delegation of British lawyers on the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law which the FCO commissioned.

The report published in June 2012, even with its narrow remit, concluded that Israel is in breach of articles 2, 3, 37(b), 37(c), and 37(d) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The manner of arrest and detention of children amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment which is prohibited in article 37(a) of the UNCRC, and its routine holding of children in solitary confinement for substantial periods of time amounts to torture.

So far the FCO has ignored the report and continues to do business with Israel as normal.

Israel currently holds 220 Palestinian children in its dungeons. There is widespread evidence of routine sexual assaults by interrogators on children who are shackled. They are threatened with rape or sodomy with an object in order to coerce false confessions and coerce them in to becoming informers on their families.

We are calling on the government to sanction Israel to release all the children and returned them to their families.

We will also be visiting the headquarters of the British Red Cross to hand a letter demanding it uphold its responsibilities to Palestinian prisoners and to act to save the lives of hunger strikers Samer al-Barq, Hassan Safadi and Ayman Sharawna.

Palestinian Prisoners Campaign Group’
www.inminds.com/caged

Palestinian prisoner reported to join hunger strike

8 September 2012

A new Palestinian prisoner joined Hunger Strike battle on September 1st, 2012, sources reported on Saturday, September 8, 2012, as his first week of hunger strike concluded. Palestinian Prisoner Ashraf Abu Huwaij on his day 8 of Hunger Strike.

Ashraf Abu Huwaij, from Ramallah, was arrested in 2001 and sentenced 20 years in jail.

AOHR: Jordan responsible for the life of hunger striker Samer al-Barq

8 September 2012

Via Palestinian Information Centre:

LONDON, (PIC)–The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) in Britain said that the Jordanian intelligence handed the prisoner Samer Barq over to the Israeli authorities more than two years ago.

AOHR said, in its statement on Thursday, the Jordanian prisoner Samer Barq, who has been on hunger strike for more than 100 days now, was arrested in Pakistan by the American forces in 2002 where he spent one year in American prisons. He was then handed over to the Jordanian authorities in 2003 where he was subjected to severe torture for five years for alleged terrorism charges.

The statement added that he was released and began practicing his normal life where he began working in a medical laboratory, however in 2010 and suddenly the Jordanian intelligence arrested him without charge, and during his time in Jordanian prisons no one could see or visit him.

On 11 July 2010 Samer was brought by Jordanian intelligence to Allenby Bridge, the border crossing between Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territory, where he was handed over to Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Samer was then taken to Ofer Prison, near Ramallah, where an Israeli military court issued him with an administrative detention order. As a result, Samer has been without trial or charge based on “secret evidence”.

Since Samer’s arrest on 11 July 2010, he has received 7 administrative detention orders. The continued use of administrative detention against Samer forced him to launch a hunger strike two years after his arrest. Barq has been on hunger strike for the past 108 days, causing him serious health deterioration.

The organization confirmed that the Jordanian government had handed one of its citizens over to the occupation authorities in total violation of the Jordanian constitution, which prohibits handing over Jordanian citizens. Handing Barq to Israeli occupation is also considered a serious breach of the international agreements that criminalize surrendering people to countries that practice torture systematically.

AOHR held the Israeli and Jordanian governments fully responsible for the life of the captive Samer Barq, calling on the Jordanian government to reconsider its serious mistake through demanding Barq’s release.

The organization also sent urgent letters to the European Commissioner for External Relations and to officials in the Arab Republic of Egypt “to contact both the Jordanian and Israeli governments to save the hunger striker Samer Barq’s life.”

Ruling expected Sunday in Al-Barq case as hunger strike enters 111 days

8 September 2012

An Israeli military court is expected to issue a ruling on the ongoing administrative detention of hunger striking Palestinian prisoner Samer al-Barq on Sunday September 9, said Jawad Boulos, director of the Legal Unit of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club. Al-Barq has now been on hunger strike for 111 consecutive days.

The Ofer occupation military court is also overdue on a decision on the administrative detention of hunger striking prisoner Hassan Safadi, who is now on hunger strike for 81 days after an earlier 71 day hunger strike.

Addameer and Physicians for Human Rights warned of an immediate danger to the lives of Al-Barq and Safadi a week ago. Safadi’s administrative detention order expired on August 29.

Al-Barq has been medically unable to attend the hearings on his case, and the prison doctor has confirmed his dangerous medical condition and drastic weight loss.

Shahd Abusalama, a Palestinian writer conducted the following interview with al-Barq’s father:

http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/shahd-abusalama/every-minute-matters-gravely-ill-hunger-striker-samer-al-barq-says-father

Palestinian writer Ahmad Qatamesh’s administrative detention renewed for fourth time

5 September 2012

The administrative detention of Palestinian writer and thinker Ahmed Qatamesh was renewed for a fourth time on September 5, 2012 by an occupation military court. Qatamesh was arrested on April 21, 2011 and his detention has been extended four times to date.

This is not his first time in Israeli jails – he was arrested in 1992 and held for 100 days under severe torture, an experience detailed in his memoir, “I Shall Not Wear Your Tarboush.” When no incriminating evidence or confession was forthcoming, Qatamesh was placed in administrative detention without charge or trial, renewed repeatedly for nearly six years until his release in 1998. He is one of the longest-held Palestinian prisoners in administrative detention.

Amnesty International, which also denounced his earlier detention in the mid-1990s, recognizes Ahmed Qatamesh as a prisoner of conscience and calls for his release:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/011/2012/en/e4bedf45-e641-4898-b69f-169181bd6e50/mde150112012en.html

Article by Ahmad’s daughter Haneen about his arrest: http://electronicintifada.net/content/when-israeli-soldiers-came-arrest-my-father/9901

Addameer profile of Ahmad Qatamesh:
http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=156

1998 interview with Ahmad Qatamesh:

http://www.freearabvoice.org/interviewSeniorAdministrativeDetaineeQatamesh.htm

In 1999, Ahmad Qatamesh was detained by the Palestinian Authority for joining a protest against corruption: http://www.phrmg.org/pressrelease/1999/04dec1999.htm

Write to Ahmad Qatamesh:
Ahmad Qatamesh, Ofer Prison, Givat Zeev, PO Box 3007, via Israel

Report: London protest for Palestinian prisoners at Israeli embassy

5 September 2012

Report via: http://www.inminds.co.uk/article.php?id=10562. Full pictures and more available at that link!

Londoners protested outside the Israeli Embassy on Saturday 1st September 2012 demanding freedom for all Palestinian political prisoners as the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported that the clinic at Ramla Prison is withholding needed medication from Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharawna, on hunger strike for 63 days, until he agrees to end his hunger strike.

Dozens of protesters picket the approach to the Israeli Embassy (red building – flag visible near centre of photo) which is on a private road.

Three hunger strikers – Hassan Safadi – 144 days, Samer Al-Barq – 133 days, and Ayman Sharawna – 62 days

Prison guards again attacked Hassan and Samer smashing Hassan’s head on the iron doors of the cell repeatedly until he was unconscious on the floor..

Around two dozen activists picketed the entrance to the private road which houses the Israeli Embassy in Kensington High Street. Their banner read “Free All Palestinian Political Prisoners” and they had placards around their necks dedicated to the remaining three hunger strikers – Samer al-Barq, Hassan Safadi, and Ayman Sharawna who are in critical condition, demanding their immediate freedom.

All three have been imprisoned under Israel’s infamous ‘administrative detention’ which means they have not been charged with anything and there is no trial and yet they have been locked up indefinitely on a rolling 6 month prison sentence.

Hassan Safadi and Samer al-Barq are both on renewed hunger strikes after Israel broke its deal to release them. They had previously already been on hunger strike for 71 and 30 days. Now Sameer has been on a renewed hunger strike from May 22 – a total of 133 days, and Hassan a total of 144 days.

Both men are in critical condition, barely able to stand and use wheelchairs for their daily needs. Amnesty has reported that even at the Medical Centre of the Israel Prison Service Samer and Hassan are being repeatedly beaten and abused.

The public were very sympathetic to the campaign with 100s of leaflets being given out in two hours. People seen eager to read even the small print on the leaflets.
Ayman Sharawna has been on hunger strike 63 days – since 1st July. Ayman was released as part of the prisoner exchange deal in October 2011, only to be re-arrested on 31 January 2012. No charges have been filed against him. Ayman was being held in solitary confinement in Rimon prison before being transferred to Ramleh prison medical center due to the deterioration in his health.

Two weeks ago (on Thursday 16th August) that the prison guards again attacked Hassan and Samer smashing Hassan’s head on the iron doors of the cell repeatedly until he was unconscious on the floor, they then dragged both prisoners to an isolation cell without any mattresses. To protest this inhuman and degrading treatment Hassan Safadi has announced that he will no longer be drinking water.

Israeli doctors are withholding Ayman’s needed injections until he agrees to end his hunger strike, using the denial of medicine as a weapon against the prisoners. The pain is so severe that he has been unable to stand on his own since the middle of August.

According to latest news released by Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association just yesterday (2 Sept 2012) doctors informed the prisoners that their “lives were under immediate threat”. Samer is now too weak to even get out of bed. Suffering extreme fatigue Hassan falls unconscious 2-3 times each day. Due to slow heart rate and severe potassium deficiency, Hassan was taken to Assaf Harofeh where tests revealed that his immunity level has fallen dangerously low; there is fluid in his lungs; and he has developed problems in his liver and kidneys. Even in this condition Hassan was shackled by all four limbs to the hospital bed with four soldiers left in the room to taunt him.
Prison doctors have informed Ayman that his life is also at risk. In addition to very low immunity levels and cirrhosis in his liver, he suffers from terrible joint pain and back pain from previous chronic conditions. The Israeli Prison Service doctors are withholding his needed injections until he agrees to end his hunger strike, using the denial of medicine as a weapon against the prisoners. The pain is so severe that he has been unable to stand on his own since the middle of August. Ayman is experiencing constant vertigo, severe headaches, high blood pressure and extreme weight loss of about 28 kilos from his original weight.

Palestinian flags calling for a boycott of Israel were also unfurled during the protest, the boycott being a practical method everyone can use to exert pressure on Israel. Hundreds of leaflets were given out to a very sympathetic public. Some approached us asking if they could take a boycott Israel flag to hang at home.

As with the last protest outside the Israeli Embassy the police took keen interest. At different stages we were approached by three different police teams and private security in charge of the Kensington Palace Gardens for the Crowne Estate which owns the road the Embassy is on. The private security wanted us some distance on the other side of the road away from the Embassy which we refused on principle. The police having a better understanding of the law allowed us to stay at the mouth of the private road in sight of the embassy. Later armed police from outside the embassy approached us to ask questions, despite their big guns and side arms they were polite. Near the end of the protest another officer turned up to ask the same questions. With Israels atrocious record of illegal occupation, ethnic cleansing, massacring civilians and murdering Palestinian children none of the police teams were surprised by the protest but were just there to ask routine questions.

The protest was the second one organised by the Palestinian Prisoners Campaign Group which was launched on the occasion of Al Quds Day this year (17 August 2012). The next action will be in a fortnight (14-16th Sept),see the campaign page for more information closer to the date.

Video:

Photos:

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