APRIL 17, PALESTINIAN PRISONERS’ DAY: Thousands of Palestinian prisoners enter hunger strike Global call for action April 17, 2012 marks Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, an international day of action for Palestinian political prisoners. Over 4,600 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails. Prisoners’ Day marks the anniversary of Mahmoud Hejazi’s release in a prisoner exchange with the Palestinian resistance in 1974, and has been since then a day of struggle for rights and freedom for Palestinian prisoners. This year, thousands of Palestinian prisoners are following on the heroic hunger strikes by Khader Adnan, Hana Shalabi, and hundreds of others, to demand their rights. They are calling for international solidarity and action to support their demands, and call for their freedom. Karameh hunger strike launched for April 17, Prisoners’ Day, throughout Israeli jails The following statement has been issued by Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli jails. Prisoners from a number of different political currents have organised the ‘Karameh’ (Dignity) Hunger Strike. Protest action will be stepped up on a daily basis until the 17th of April (Palestinian Prisoners Day) when an indefi- nate hunger strike will be launched. The statement has been translated from Arabic, and appeared on the Ajnad news website: The various political currents in the prisoners movement who are held in the zionist jails have reached an agreement to escalate the ongoing hunger strikes in order to achieve the human rights which Israel have denied prison- ers for many long years. Prisoners will begin an indefinate hunger strike this month. This means they will refuse all forms of food and liquid (with the exception of water) until their demands are met. The hunger strike has been initiated because this is the the the only tool that the Palestinian prisoners have to achieve their rights. We must pressurise the occupying government and force it to negotiate on the demands the prisoners movement has been striving to achieve. The hunger strike is supported by the prisoners movement as a whole, with agree- ment amongst all member parties. The demands of the Karameh Hunger Strike are: 1. An end to the policy of solitary confinement and isolation which has been used to deprive Palestinian prisoners of their rights for more than a decade. 2. To allow the families of prisoners from the Gaza Strip to visit prisoners. This right has been denied to all families for more than 6 years. 3. An improvement in the living conditions of prisoners and an end to the ‘Shalit’ law, which outlaws newspapers, learning materials and many TV channels. 4. An end to the the policies of humiliation which are suffered by prisoners and their families such as strip searches, nightly raids, and collective punishment. The aim of the hunger strike is to shift local, regional and international public opinion. It aims to put pressure on the occupying govern- ment and hold it responsible for the health of all prisoners. Palestinian Prisoners are calling on free people across the world to to do everything in their power to support them in their struggle for rights. As of January 2012, 4,417 Palestinian political ENDORSERS: The world must heed Khader Adnan’s Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Associa- prisoners are held in jails in Israel, including tion call: Make Palestinian Political 170 children and 6 women. Just like Khader, Defence for Children International – Palestine Section Prisoners’ Day, 17 April 2012, 310 prisoners are held – without charge or tri- UFree Network al – under administrative detention including Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network A Day of International Action Free Ameer Makhoul Campaign over 20 lawmakers. In solidarity with them, and Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa’adat to broaden Khader’s struggle, we will actively Friends of Detainees and Prisoners Association, Nazareth Organizational endorsements are welcome oppose their imprisonment and any deten- One Democratic State Group-Palestine for this statement. Please click here or email 14 Friends of Palestine tions without fair trials. [email protected] to endorse. AberPSC Adalah NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of We demand the immediate release of all Pales- Israel “I hereby assert that I am confronting the occu- Al-Awda New York, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition tinian prisoners held by Israel. They have been piers not for my own sake as an individual, but Arab Organization for Human Rights targeted by an unfair and unequal legal sys- Badil Resource Center for the sake of thousands of prisoners who are tem. Their imprisonment reflects Israel’s inher- BDS Belgium et Bienvenue en Palestine (Bruxelles) being deprived of their simplest human rights Brigate di solidarietà e per la Pace-Solidarity and peace ent system of injustice and racism. In addition, while the world and international community brigades Israel must immediately halt its practices of: Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association look on,” Sheikh Khader Adnan wrote from the CCIPPP (Campagne Civile Internationale pour la Protec- bed that Israeli soldiers chained him to in the tion du Peuple Palestinien) Administrative detention. Ramleh prison hospital on 11 February. Canada Palestine Association Torture and ill-treatment of detainees. CAPPJPO-EuroPalestine Solitary confinement and isolation. Chicago Movement for Palestinian Rights “It is time the international community and the Coalition for a Free Palestine – South Africa The use of military courts in the occupied Pal- UN support prisoners and force the State of Is- Coalition of Women for Peace estinian territory that illegally try civilians. Collectif 69 de Soutien au Peuple Palestinien rael to respect international human rights and Undermining a fair trial by using secret evi- Comité de lutte contre la barbarie et ‘larbitraire stop treating prisoners as if they were not hu- Comité Saintonge Palestine dence against the accused. mans.” (Ma’an News Agency, “Hunger-striking Educators for Peace and Justice Arresting vulnerable groups, such as children, ÉGALITÉ / Bruxelles / Belgique prisoner not backing down,” 11 February 2012) Existence is Resistance disabled, elderly and ill people. Forum Palestina – Italy Sheikh Khader Adnan’s hunger strike has in- Frantz Fanon Foundation, France On Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, Tuesday, April Freedom Road Socialist Organization spired millions and infused the Palestinian 17, we ask that all supporters of the Palestin- French Jewish Union for Peace national and solidarity movements with new Grupo Acção Palestina ian political prisoners’ movement bring Khader energy, and we must reflect on his call to the Intal Adnan’s spirit of resistance to the doorsteps of International Solidarity Movement – France world and prepare a meaningful internation- his captors and would-be killers: Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign al strategy to support Palestinian prisoners’ Jews for Justice for Palestinians struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. Justice for Palestine Centre – Scotland Organize a protest in front of your local Israeli Justice for Palestinians embassy, consulate or mission. Labor for Palestine Khader Adnan is fighting for rights that should Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights Write letters to protest the violations of rights be guaranteed to all prisoners, including due Leeds Palestinian Solidarity Campaign of Palestinian political prisoners and to call for Miranda Alliance process, fair and equal treatment, and freedom an intervention to the International Commit- Mouvement Citoyen Palestine from torture and other coercive methods. Pal- National Lawyers Guild International Committee/Free tee of the Red Cross, UN Secretary General Ban estinian prisoners from the West Bank face a Palestine Subcommittee Ki-moon and your government or parliamen- Nederlands Instituut Palestina-Israel (NIPI) military justice system that is entirely separate tarians. Netherlands Palestine Committee from that for Jewish Israelis, including settlers, New York City Labor Against the War Raise awareness on your University campus or who are instead part of the Israeli civil justice Palestina Digital in your community about Palestinian political “Palestina nel cuore” Committee system; this military justice system for Palestin- prisoners Palestine Committee of Norway ian political prisoners includes systematic and Palestine Solidarity Alliance–South Africa Picket and protest G4S, Motorola, the Volvo arbitrary detention without charge, the accep- Palestine Solidarity Campaign (UK) Group, and the Israeli Medical Association – all Palestine Solidarity Thailand tance of torture, an almost complete lack of due providing services to Israel’s prisons – as well Palestinian Youth Movement-USAPennBDS process, vague charges, very low standards of Plataforma de Solidaridad con Palestina, Sevilla, Spain as other targets of the Palestinian-led Boycott, evidence including the use of secret evidence, Prisoners’ Family & Friends Association (PFFA) Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and widely disparate and harsher sentencing which challenges the Israeli policies of occupa- Siegebusters than the civil justice system.In Israel’s domestic Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights – UBC tion, colonization and apartheid these repres- criminal justice system exists a system of apart- Soutien Palestine sive institutions maintain. Students for Justice in Palestine National heid Palestinian citizens of Israel charged with Write letters to Palestinian