An agreement with Israeli authorities ended this spring’s mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners. Mahmoud Sarsak has been released and returned to Gaza.
But three Palestinian prisoners continue the nonviolent protest of hunger strike. Contact Israeli officials on their behalf.
Akram al-Rikhawi has now been on hunger strike for 95 days. The longest hunger striker, he suffers from numerous medical conditions, including diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, glaucoma, kidney problems and immune deficiency. He remained on strike after the May 14 agreement because it did not address his unique situation of early release on medical grounds.
From Samidoun, the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
It is urgent that Israeli officials hear that the ongoing hunger strikes of Palestinian prisoners, Akram Rikhawi, Samer al-Barq, and Hassan Safadi are being followed around the world. Rikhawi – in poor health – is on his 95th day of hunger strike! Tell the Israelis that people around the world are demanding their freedom and are monitoring the situation of Palestinian prisoners and hold the Israeli officials responsible for their lives. Use this form to send a letter of protest to Israeli officials.
Samidoun reports that:
Samer al-Barq has now been on hunger strike since May 22, for 55 days, protesting Israeli violations of the agreement with the prisoners – after his own administrative detention, rather than expiring as agreed by the Israelis at the end of the strike, was renewed for an additional three months. Samer al-Barq is now on hunger strike until his release is secured.
Hassan Safadi, a long-term hunger striker who had been striking for 71 days at the time the May 14 agreement was concluded, had his administrative detention order renewed by the Israelis on June 21, despite the explicit agreement that the long-term hunger strikers such as Safadi serving in administrative detention without charge or trial would not have those orders renewed. Safadi is now on his 25th day of hunger strike and plans to continue until he is released.
Contact Israeli officials on behalf of these three hunger strikers. They should be charged and tried or released.
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Along the Graybeard Trail 