Den 28 januari anordnade vi, tillsammans med Palestinska Samordningsgruppen Göteborg-Borås en manifestation i Göteborg för att uppmärksamma de över 11 000 palestinier som sitter fängslade av ockupationen, såväl som de många aktivister som sitter inlåsta i imperialistiska fängelser runtom i det globala nord. Stort tack till PalSam för samarbetet, och tack till alla som kom! Under manifestationen höll vi följande tal:
Comrades and friends!
I am from the Samidoun network for solidarity with Palestinian prisoners.
The number of administrative detainees almost quadrupled after the al Aqsa flood, today it is higher then it has ever been. Today more then 3 400 detainees are held up in occupation prisons without being charged and without trail. As of today 168 of them are minors. A significant number of these detainees are stuck in an endless cycle, getting rejection upon rejection without knowing what they have done, and without any prospects of being reunited with their families and friends.
In addition to this there are 7 500 prisoners in occupation prisons, some of them also kept in never ending legal processes.
This amounts to 11 000 prisoners. 11 000 hostages!
What has happened to the prisoners freed by the resistance? – They have been re-arrested by the occupation.
The occupation prisons are filled to the brim. There are more Palestinian prisoners now then there has ever been.
I spoke to a comrade released this summer after the exchange of hostages. She had spent almost a year in administrative detention. I asked her what freedom was like. She laughed at me and asked “What freedom?”. The occupation forces are checking her at every crossing in Ramallah. They are shadowing her at every moment waiting for an opportunity to strike.
But the inhumane repression carried out by the Zionist entity stops at nothing. It has their fist up the asses of the judges of all imperialist countries. They are lobbying to criminalize resistance everywhere and to choke every act of resistance.
Two weeks ago Anan Yaeesh was sentenced, IN ITALY, to 5 years partly for having ties to the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade in Tulkarem. What mandate does Italy have on the West Bank? And in Norway comrade Ole Bertheus are still in court proceedings having appealed the sentence for having destroyed components for war planes used by the IDF. The American company responsible for the components where quick to pull back their compensation demand, being afraid that the court would ask for documentation.
They know what they are doing! They know that one day they will be held responsible!
The Palestine Action huger strike in Britain was the largest and longest hunger strike since the IRAs hunger strike in the 80s. Up until yesterday Umer Khalid was still on strike and was even refusing water. Upon ending his hunger strike he said; “I am too strong, too loud, too powerful … and there is so much we can do to affect change.” This is not bragging. We need to appreciate the prisoners struggle. Every day they are putting their bodies in the cogs of the imperialist, Zionist war machine. We celebrate does who take on this task with bravery. We want, and we need them alive!
Let us be crystal clear: WE OPPOSE GENOCIDE! WE SUPPORT PALESTINE ACTION!
Just last week Samidoun took part in the action week for imprisoned general secretary of the PFLP, comrade Ahmad Saadat. His case is telling. He was first imprisoned by the so called Palestinian Authorities as a part of their security coordination with the occupation. That he, as well as Marwan Barghouti is kept in prison just for their political stands is telling of the fact that the occupation only allows for a Palestinian leadership that they can manipulate, that they can control. That’s why the prisons are fortresses of resistance! The prisoners are the real leadership of the revolution; they are the compass of our movement against Zionism.
The Palestinian prisoners are the compass and beacon of all pro-Palestinian activist and prisoners. They show that prison is a place of struggle! The prisons are fortresses of resistance!
None of us are free until Palestine is free and the resistance has freed every prisoner and burned every prison.
Free the Filton 24!
Free Ahmad Saadat!
Freedom for Anan Yaeesh!
Free all Palestinian prisoners!
