[Ppnews] Palestinian PP Sa'adat receives further punishment

[Political Prisoner News]

Sa'adat receives further punishment from the occupation as solidarity 
continues around the world

<http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/>http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/

Ahmad Sa'adat's steadfastness has inspired solidarity and action from 
thousands across Palestine, throughout the Arab world, and 
internationally. His nine-day hunger strike has drawn attention to 
the brutal, illegitimate practices of the Israeli prison authorities, 
and the urgent situation of the over 11,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Sa'adat, the imprisoned General Secretary of the Popular Front for 
the Liberation of Palestine, was forcibly kidnapped in 2006 by the 
Israeli military from a Palestinian Authority prison where he had 
been held since 2002 under PA, British and U.S. guard, and has become 
a symbol of resistance. Throughout his seven years of imprisonment, 
he has refused entirely to recognize the legitimacy of Israeli 
military courts used against Palestinian prisoners.

A new set of punishments have been issued against Sa'adat following 
his nine-day hunger strike against the occupation's denial of 
prisoners rights, won through long struggle, and the policy of 
solitary confinement.

As an example of some of the solidarity actions with Sa'adat around 
the world, please see:

June 18, 2009 - Statement in solidarity with Ahmad Sa'adat from Irish 
Republican Socialist Movement 
(<http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june18irscna.html>http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june18irscna.html)

June 17, 2009 - Protests across Palestine and the Arab world in 
solidarity with Sa'adat 
(<http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june1709.html>http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june1709.html)

June 17, 2009 - Solidarity statement from Internationalt Forum - 
Denmark 
(<http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june17ifd.html>http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june17ifd.html)

June 16, 2009 - Solidarity statement from Palestinian Federation of 
Chile 
(<http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june16pfc.html>http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june16pfc.html)

June 12, 2009 - Statement in solidarity from Communist Organization 
of Greece (KOE) 
(<http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june12koe.html>http://freeahmadsaadat.org/june12koe.html)

The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights sent an attorney to visit with 
Sa'adat on June 15, 2009, who reported that the administration of 
Asqelan prison held a hearing following the hunger strike, which 
Sa'adat refused to attend, according to his principled position of 
rejecting all of the mock justice of the Israeli military courts.

The hearing resulted in a severe set of sanctions directed at 
Sa'adat, extending his denial of family visits, denial of visits to 
the prison cateen, and a 200 shekel fine, as well as a week extension 
of solitary confinement. These punishments come in addition to an 
earlier set of draconian sanctions directed at Sa'adat as a result of 
his leadership in the prisoners' movement.

On May 7, 2009, the occupation forces issued a series of punishments 
against Sa'adat, including denying him messages from his family for a 
month, prevention of family visits until September 5, 2009, the 
extension of his solitary confinement until June 28, 2009 and the 
removal of all electrical appliances, newspapers and magazines.

The Al-Mezan center condemned the policy of isolation and solitary 
confinement, noting that this practice violates international 
standards and is classified as a form of torture, cruel, inhuman or 
degrading treatment. The center called for the international 
community to work to the utmost to gain immediate protection for the 
rights of Palestinian prisoners, won through long struggle, and for 
the release of all Palestinian prisoners from the jails of the occupation.

Khalida Jarrar, member of the Political Bureau of the PFLP and chair 
of the Palestinian Legislative Council Prisoners' Committee spoke on 
Sunday, June 14, 2009, summing up Sa'adat's nine-day hunger strike 
and detailing the methods of isolation used by the occupier, noting 
that there are 30 prisoners held in solitary confinement and that 
these men are held in single cells 23 out of 24 hours in the day. She 
noted that Sa'adat has been held in isolation since his transfer by 
the occupation authorities from Hadarim to Asqelan prison several 
months ago, and that his family has been barred from visiting him.

Abla Sa'adat, Ahmad Sa'adat's wife, spoke about how she has not been 
able to visit her husband for three months and that her children have 
been barred from visiting him for the past three years. She demanded 
that human rights institutions act upon the issue of solitary 
confinement and isolation.

The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat stresses upon the urgent need for 
continuing solidarity with Sa'adat and all Palestinian prisoners, and 
the need to struggle for their freedom. Please send your statements 
of solidarity to 
<mailto:info at freeahmadsaadat.org>info at freeahmadsaadat.org and 
continue to contact Israeli embassies in your country and express your outrage!

Take action in your country or city. Contact your local Israeli embassy:
<http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Diplomatic+missions/Web+Sites+of+Israeli+Missions+Abroad.htm>http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Diplomatic+missions/Web+Sites+of+Israeli+Missions+Abroad.htm
and express your outrage at this policy of isolation.

Also, contact the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as 
this body is responsible for monitoring and visiting Palestinian 
prisoners. Call upon the ICRC to end its silence about Palestinian 
prisoners and to take action to defend their rights. Contact the 
Jerusalem office of the ICRC at 
<mailto:jerusalem.jer at icrc.org>jerusalem.jer at icrc.org.

The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat
June 19, 2009
<http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/>http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/
<mailto:info at freeahmadsaadat.org>info at freeahmadsaadat.org



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