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Hugh demos both in Ireland and New York..
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The New York Demonstration…
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Photos © by Bud Korotzer
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And in Ireland ….. Elected officials take a stand! (Gotta love the Irish!)
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Irish Politicians Support Demands of Palestinian Hungerstrikers
In light of the very critical impending situation of the ongoing hungerstrike by Palestinian prisoners, the Irish Friends of Palestine are currently working to assist theCEPR to gain signatures of Irish TD’s, MP’s and MLA’s throughout Ireland.We now have a total of 64 Irish parlimentarians who have signed the petition for the CEPR in support of the Palestinian prisoners on hungerstrike. We are proud to say that in the South of Ireland we have every political party represented, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Irish Labour party, Sinn Fein, People Before Profits and Independents.In the North we have 29 Sinn Fein signatures and we hope other parties in the North will also come on board to sign. The petition states the current situation of administrative detention and covers the 4 demands of the prisoners. The petition will also be put to Parlimentarians throughout the European Union.
Palestinian Hunger Strike petition
Official figures show that over 1,500 Palestinian Prisoners have embarked on a hunger strike in protest against their conditions and Israel’s use of administrative detention. The majority began their protest on April 17th, but there are several who have been without food for much longer. Two individuals, Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahlah, are in severe medical danger having both been without food for over 70 days.
The prisoner support and human rights association, Addameer, states that 20% of the total Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (and as high as 40% of the male population) have been arrested by the Israeli authorities. There are currently 4,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, and around 300 of these are being held in administrative detention. Administrative detention is a military practice that allows authorities to indefinitely detain people without charge or trial and without presenting any evidence against them.
The conditions imposed on prisoners and detainees are shocking. It is usual for prisoners to be held in solitary confinement and frequently denied visits from their family. Those in solitary confinement are held in a cell no larger than two and a half square metres, and which contains only a mattress and blanket. Detainees are permitted only one hour of sunlight and fresh air per day, and have their legs and hands cuffed during this time. In one of the most reported cases, Abdullah Barghouti has spent nine years in solitary confinement.
Acknowledging these factors, we, the undersigned,call for an immediate response to the Palestinian non-violent protests. The current situation of Palestinians in Israeli jails is unacceptable. We call on both the Israeli government and international actors to recognise the following demands of prisoners:
1) That International Law and its provisions with regard to administrative detention are respected.2) That Israel ends its policy of administrative detention.
3) That Israel ends its policy of keeping prisoners in solitary confinement.4) That prisoners are allowed to see their families.
Signed:
Joe Costello Minister of State TD Dail Eireann Irish Labour PartyJan O’Sullivan Minister of State TD Dail Eireann Irish Labour PartyGerry Adams TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinRichard Boyd Barrett TD Dail Eireann People Before Profit AllianceRobert Troy TD Dail Eireann Fianna FailMary Lou McDonald TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinGerald Nash TD Dail Eireann Irish Labour PartyMaureen O’Sullivan TD Dail Eireann IndependentMichael Colreavy TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinSeán Crowe TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinFinian McGrath TD Dail Eireann IndependentDessie Ellis TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinPádraig MacLochlainn TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinPatrick Nulty TD Dail Eireann Irish Labour PartyBrian Stanley TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinOlivia Mitchell TD Dail Eireann Fine GaelThomas Pringle TD Dail Eireann IndependentCaoimhghÃn O’Caoláin TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinAengus O’Snodaigh TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinPearse Doherty TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinMartin Ferris TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinSandra McLellan TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinJonathan O’Brien TD Dail Eireann Sinn FeinJoan Collins TD Dail Eireann People Before Profit AlliancePeadar TóibÃn TD Dail Eireann Fianna FailSenator Susan O’Keefe TD Seanad Eireann Irish Labour PartySenator Trevor O’Clochartaigh TD Seanad Eireann Sinn FeinSenator Jim Walsh TD Seanad Eireann Fianna FailSenator David Cullinane TD Seanad Eireann Sinn FeinSenator David Norris TD Seanad Eireann IndependentSenator Katherine Zappone TD Seanad Eireann IndependentSenator Ivana Bacik TD Seanad Eireann Irish Labour PartySenator Terry Leyden TD Seanad Eireann Fianna FailSenator Michael Mullins TD Seanad Eireann Fine GaelSenator Kathryn Reilly TD Seanad Eireann Sinn FeinMartin McGuinness, MLA, MP, Deputy First Minister Mid Ulster Westminster & NI Assembly Sinn FeinConor Murphy MLA, MP Newry & Armagh Westminster & NI Assembly Sinn FeinPaul Maskey MLA, MP West Belfast Westminster & NI Assembly Sinn FeinPat Doherty MLA, MP West Tyrone Westminster & NI Assembly Sinn FeinOliver McMullan MLA East Antrim NI Assembly Sinn FeinCathal O hOisin MLA East Derry NI Assembly Sinn FeinPhil Flanagan MLA, Fermanagh & South Tyrone NI Assembly Sinn FeinSean Lynch MLA Fermanagh & South Tyrone NI Assembly Sinn FeinMartina Anderson MLA Foyle NI Assembly Sinn FeinRaymond McCartney MLA Foyle NI Assembly Sinn FeinFrancie Molloy MLA Mid Ulster NI Assembly Sinn FeinMichelle O’Neill MLA Mid Ulster NI Assembly Sinn FeinCathal Boylan MLA Newry & Armagh NI Assembly Sinn FeinMickey Brady MLA Newry & Armagh NI Assembly Sinn FeinDaithi McKay MLA North Antrim NI Assembly Sinn FeinGerry Kelly MLA North Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinCaral Ni Chuilin MLA North Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinMitchel McLaughlin MLA South Antrim NI Assembly Sinn FeinAlex Maskey MLA South Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinChris Hazzard MLA South Down NI Assembly Sinn FeinCaitriona Ruane MLA South Down NI Assembly Sinn FeinJohn O’Dowd MLA Upper Bann NI Assembly Sinn FeinFra McCann MLA West Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinJennifer McCann MLA West Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinSue Ramsay MLA West Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinPat Sheehan MLA West Belfast NI Assembly Sinn FeinMichaela Boyle MLA West Tyrone NI Assembly Sinn FeinBarry McElduff MLA West Tyrone NI Assembly Sinn FeinMichelle Gildernew MLA, MP Femanagh & South Tyrone Westminster & NI Assembly Sinn FeinSUPPORT THE PRISONERS DEMANDSSent BY
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