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95 Days of Hunger
Strike: Act Now to
Save Akram
al-Rikhawi’s
life!<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/95-days-of-hunger-strike-act-now-to-save-akram-al-rikhawis-life>
<http://samidoun.ca/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Rikhawi.jpg>Akram
al-Rikhawi has now
been on hunger
strike for 95 days.
He is the longest
serving hunger
striker anywhere in
the world. He
is suffering from
numerous medical
conditions,
including diabetes,
asthma, high
cholesterol,
osteoporosis,
glaucoma, kidney
problems and immune
deficiency. Addameer
reports <http://addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=491>
that “Prior to his
arrest, Akram
received injections
of Kenacort to treat
his asthma, but
following his
arrest, the Israeli
Prison Service (IPS)
did not allow Akram
to take this
injection. Instead,
it was replaced with
injections of
cortisone, which is
most likely the
cause of severe
complications,
resulting in
additional chronic
illnesses such as
diabetes and
osteoporosis, from
which Akram now
suffers.” *Take
action today to call
for
the immediate
release of Akram
al-Rikhawi!<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/95-days-of-hunger-strike-act-now-to-save-akram-al-rikhawis-life/#letter>
*
Akram began his
hunger strike on
April 12 of this
year to demand his
early release due to
his heath
circumstances. He
also has eight
children, and he and
his wife are also
responsible for the
care of the five
children of his late
brother. Despite his
severe health
circumstances and
his difficult family
and economic straits
and responsibility
for 13 children, his
appeals for early
release in 2012 and
on June 5, 2012 were
both
rejected<http://addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=491>
.
He did not stop his
hunger strike on May
14 at the time of
the agreement
between prisoners
and the Israel
Prison Services
because his unique
circumstances were
not addressed –
namely, early
release on medical
grounds. Physicians
for Human Rights
were denied access
to Akram for nearly
two months, until
June
6<https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150867264581502&id=164306561501>.
He has lost 26.5% of
his body weight –
and was already very
unhealthy. Akram has
been refusing
medical examinations
since mid-May – and
in response, the
cortisone injections
have only increased.
PHR has stated that
he must be
transferred
immediately to a
civilian hospital in
order to receive
proper medical care,
and filed suit to
demand he be
transferred – which
was denied by an
Israeli District
Court on June
14<http://addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=491>.
Since June 16, he
has been refusing
supplements and
other forms of
artificial
nourishment that the
Israeli prison
hospital has
attempted to impose
on him.
He has now been on
hunger strike for 95
days. He is in
severe danger.
International action
is urgently needed
to save his life!
*It is urgent that
we act now to free
Akram Rikhawi and
secure his
much-needed medical
care.<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/95-days-of-hunger-strike-act-now-to-save-akram-al-rikhawis-life/#letter>
*
Akram al-Rikhawi is
not the only
Palestinian prisoner
currently on hunger
strike:
- Samer
al-Barq
<http://samidoun.ca/2012/06/urgent-act-now-for-mahmoud-sarsak-on-84th-day-of-hunger-strike-palestinian-soccer-star-at-risk-of-death/>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
http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=490
, 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.
The Israeli Prison
Services have
continued to violate
the May 14 agreement
in numerous ways –
Dirar Abu Sisi
remains in solitary
confinement and
another prisoner was
recently moved to
isolation. Although
family visits to
Gaza prisoners have
now been announced,
they will be
“experimental,”
*apply only to 25 of
the 479 prisoners
and will exclude
prisoners’ children
from
visits*<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/some-family-visits-to-begin-for-only-25-gaza-prisoners/>
.
After his 96-day
hunger strike,
Palestinian soccer
star Mahmoud Sarsak
returned on July 10
<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/mahmoud-sarsak-released-to-heros-welcome-in-gaza/>
to his home in Gaza
to a hero’s welcome.
It is urgent that we
act now for all
Palestinian
prisoners to return
to their families
and homes like
Sarsak.
Administrative
detention, mass
roundups, and
military trials are
continuing in
Palestine.
International
solidarity and
action is needed to
hold the occupation
accountable for its
ongoing imprisonment
and abuse of the
people
of Palestine!
*TAKE ACTION!*
*1. Sign a letter<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/95-days-of-hunger-strike-act-now-to-save-akram-al-rikhawis-life/#letter>
demanding the
Israeli state
transfer Akram
Rikhawi, Samer
al-Barq and Hassan
Safadi immediately
to hospitals and
release them. Tell
the Israeli Prison
Services that the
world is watching!
Click here to
sign.<http://samidoun.ca/2012/07/95-days-of-hunger-strike-act-now-to-save-akram-al-rikhawis-life/#letter>
*
*2. Sign this
letter, circulated
by UFREE, to members
of the European
Parliament and
demand action to
save the life of
Akram
Rikhawi.<http://ufree-p.net/News-221>
*
*3. **Join a protest
or demonstration
outside an Israeli
consulate for
Palestinian
prisoners. Many
groups and
organizations are
holding events –
join one or announce
your own.
*Organizing an
event, action or
forum on Palestinian
prisoners on your
city or campus? *Use
this form to
contact us<http://samidoun.ca/2012/04/submit-your-palestinian-prisoner-solidarity-activities-here/>
* and we will post
the event widely.
*If you need
suggestions,
materials or
speakers for your
event, please
contact us <http://samidoun.ca/contact-us/>
at
samidoun@samidoun.ca.
*(The Ireland
Palestine Solidarity
Campaign has great
materials, available
at
http://www.ipsc.ie/the-issues/factsheets)
*4. Contact your
government officials
and demand an end to
international
silence and
complicity with the
repression of
Palestinian
political
prisoners.* In
Canada, Call the
office of John
Baird, Foreign
Minister, and demand
an end to Canadian
support for Israel
and justice for
Palestinian
prisoners, at :
613-990-7720; Email:
bairdj@parl.gc.ca.
In the US, call the
office of Elizabeth
Jones, Acting
Assistant Secretary
of State for Near
East Affairs
(1.202.647.7209).
Demand that
Elizabeth Jones
bring this issue
urgently to his
counterparts in
Israel. |
