Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers have launched a mass hunger strike starting 17 April 2017. The call for hunger strike came amidst resentment of Israeli’s cruel policies towards political prisoners. An estimated 1500 Palestinian prisoners have announced the beginning of an open hunger strike. 

The hunger striking prisoners’ demands include: family visits, proper medical care, end to Israel’s practice of detaining Palestinians without charge or trial in so-called administrative detention and stopping the use of isolation. As the strike begins, Addameer Prisoner Support urges supporters of justice around the world to take action to support the Palestinian prisoners whose bodies and lives are on the line for freedom and dignity.

The issue of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli prisons and detention centers transcends one of individual human rights; it is also one of collective rights of an entire people – the Palestinian people, who continue to be deprived of the right to self-determination and sovereignty – basic fundamentals of international law. All Palestinian political prisoners – regardless of their alleged political affiliations or charges – are entitled to fair trial guarantees under international humanitarian law and international human rights laws. Palestinian political prisoners and detainees are systematically subjected to torture and ill-treatment with continued impunity – highlighting the need for more solidarity actions from people around the globe to call for immediate release of all Palestinian political prisoners, long-denied their basic rights.

Addameer Prisoner Support & Human Rights Association urges all people to organize events in solidarity with the struggle of hunger-striking prisoners and detainees.  2017 marks 100 years of the Balfour declaration; 70 years of Palestinian Catastrophe (al-Nakba); 50 years of brutal military occupation. This is also the year to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its actions and to demand the immediate release of all Palestinian political prisoners!

TAKE ACTION: 

1. Join Addameer social media campaign aims at raising awareness: hold a sign saying #PalHunger, #Free_Palestinian_Political_Prisoners, or #StopAD (administrative detention campaign), #NotATarget (Human Rights Defenders campaign), and share either a picture of you holding a sign or just the hashtag along with a picture of a prisoner or a detainee on social media (twitter and facebook) to raise awareness.

2. Join Addameer’s campaigns and their Call to Action: Addameer has two major campaigns: Stop Administrative Detention campaign and the Human Rights Defenders. You could use any of addameer’s materials prepared for these two campaigns or any other materials on Addameer’s website.

3. Organize a protest, demonstration, speaking event or banner drop in your city, community or campus calling for the immediate release of all Palestinian political prisoners and to show solidarity with the hunger striking prisoners and detainees.  

4. Write to Israeli officials or to your local MPs to demand release for Palestinian political prisoners. Addresses can be provided upon request.

5. Join BDS Campaign: Organize an action at HP office in your city to highlight the role of corporations involved in – and profiting from – the political imprisonment of Palestinians by the Israeli occupation.

6. Send an email to [email protected] or to our Facebook page to let us know about any actions you are planning.