Al-Qeeq enters 80th day of hunger strike, faces permanent injury as calls grow for release
by samidoun
Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq,
33, has entered his 80th day of hunger strike, protesting his
administrative detention by the Israeli state - imprisonment without
charge or trial. Al-Qeeq, a journalist with Al-Majd TV, launched his
hunger strike on 25 November
while being subject to torture under Israeli interrogation, then
continued the strike in protest of the order for his imprisonment
without charge or trial.
Al-Qeeq's medical situation is dire - he is currently under constant medical supervision
in HaEmek hospital in Afula. Doctors have stated that he has suffered
medical damage that may be impossible to fully recover from and will
continue to impact his life following his detention.
He
has refused all treatment by the Israeli hospital and rejected a
Supreme Court decision that "suspended" rather than ended his
administrative detention and forbade him from leaving the hospital. He
requested a transfer to a Palestinian hospital in Ramallah, which was
denied. Al-Qeeq is demanding an immediate end to his administrative
detention; he refused a proposal for his release on 1 May,
which would mark the normal end of the six-month administrative
detention order. Because his detention has been "suspended," al-Qeeq can
receive visitors despite his inability to speak - recent visitors have
included Archbishop Attallah Hanna.
Despite
this, the Israeli state has not proposed any meaningful agreements or
substantial proposals to end the suffering of al-Qeeq. Solidarity
actions are continuing inside and outside Palestine with al-Qeeq as he
reaches his 80th day of hunger strike; protests have taken place in
Ramallah, Bir Zeit University, refugee camps throughout Palestine
including Aida and Dheisheh, Nablus and Gaza in support of al-Qeeq in
recent days, in addition to protests in Berlin, other German cities, New York and elsewhere. The Palestinians in Europe Conference also agitated for al-Qeeq's release.
Amnesty International has issued a new urgent public statement on Al-Qeeq, while questions in the European Parliament and an appeal from the Ambassadorial Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have urged al-Qeeq's release. In Samidoun's meetings with European parliamentarians accompanying Leila Khaled, the issue of al-Qeeq was raised constantly and elicited strong verbal support.
Samidoun is urging people around the world to call the U.S. White House to urge action on Al-Qeeq today, his 80th day of hunger strike, and to join the New York City protest for his freedom.
Photos from demonstrations to free Al-Qeeq:
No comments:
Post a Comment