Take action: Sa'adat receives further punishment from the occupation as solidarity continues around the world

Sa'adat receives further punishment from the occupation as solidarity continues around the world

http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/

 

 

Ahmad Sa'adat's steadfastness has inspired solidarity and action from thousands across Palestine, throughout the Arab world, and internationally. His nine-day hunger strike has drawn attention to the brutal, illegitimate practices of the Israeli prison authorities, and the urgent situation of the over 11,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Sa'adat, the imprisoned General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was forcibly kidnapped in 2006 by the Israeli military from a Palestinian Authority prison where he had been held since 2002 under PA, British and U.S. guard, and has become a symbol of resistance. Throughout his seven years of imprisonment, he has refused entirely to recognize the legitimacy of Israeli military courts used against Palestinian prisoners.

A new set of punishments have been issued against Sa'adat following his nine-day hunger strike against the occupation's denial of prisoners rights, won through long struggle, and the policy of solitary confinement.

As an example of some of the solidarity actions with Sa'adat around the world, please see:

June 18, 2009 - Statement in solidarity with Ahmad Sa'adat from Irish Republican Socialist Movement (http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june18irscna.html)

June 17, 2009 - Protests across Palestine and the Arab world in solidarity with Sa'adat (http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june1709.html)

June 17, 2009 - Solidarity statement from Internationalt Forum - Denmark (http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june17ifd.html)

June 16, 2009 - Solidarity statement from Palestinian Federation of Chile (http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june16pfc.html)

June 12, 2009 - Statement in solidarity from Communist Organization of Greece (KOE) (http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june12koe.html)

The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights sent an attorney to visit with Sa'adat on June 15, 2009, who reported that the administration of Asqelan prison held a hearing following the hunger strike, which Sa'adat refused to attend, according to his principled position of rejecting all of the mock justice of the Israeli military courts.

The hearing resulted in a severe set of sanctions directed at Sa'adat, extending his denial of family visits, denial of visits to the prison cateen, and a 200 shekel fine, as well as a week extension of solitary confinement. These punishments come in addition to an earlier set of draconian sanctions directed at Sa'adat as a result of his leadership in the prisoners' movement.

On May 7, 2009, the occupation forces issued a series of punishments against Sa'adat, including denying him messages from his family for a month, prevention of family visits until September 5, 2009, the extension of his solitary confinement until June 28, 2009 and the removal of all electrical appliances, newspapers and magazines.

The Al-Mezan center condemned the policy of isolation and solitary confinement, noting that this practice violates international standards and is classified as a form of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The center called for the international community to work to the utmost to gain immediate protection for the rights of Palestinian prisoners, won through long struggle, and for the release of all Palestinian prisoners from the jails of the occupation.

Khalida Jarrar, member of the Political Bureau of the PFLP and chair of the Palestinian Legislative Council Prisoners' Committee spoke on Sunday, June 14, 2009, summing up Sa'adat's nine-day hunger strike and detailing the methods of isolation used by the occupier, noting that there are 30 prisoners held in solitary confinement and that these men are held in single cells 23 out of 24 hours in the day. She noted that Sa'adat has been held in isolation since his transfer by the occupation authorities from Hadarim to Asqelan prison several months ago, and that his family has been barred from visiting him.

Abla Sa'adat, Ahmad Sa'adat's wife, spoke about how she has not been able to visit her husband for three months and that her children have been barred from visiting him for the past three years. She demanded that human rights institutions act upon the issue of solitary confinement and isolation.

The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat stresses upon the urgent need for continuing solidarity with Sa'adat and all Palestinian prisoners, and the need to struggle for their freedom. Please send your statements of solidarity to info@freeahmadsaadat.org and continue to contact Israeli embassies in your country and express your outrage!

Take action in your country or city. Contact your local Israeli embassy:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Diplomatic+missions/Web+Sites+of+Israeli+Missions+Abroad.htm
and express your outrage at this policy of isolation.

Also, contact the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as this body is responsible for monitoring and visiting Palestinian prisoners. Call upon the ICRC to end its silence about Palestinian prisoners and to take action to defend their rights. Contact the Jerusalem office of the ICRC at jerusalem.jer@icrc.org.

The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat
June 19, 2009
http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/
info@freeahmadsaadat.org