On Palestinian Prisoners Day, demand the release of the imprisoned

(CHICAGO 04/17/2013) – Today, on international Palestinian Prisoners Day, the American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) calls upon President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry to demand Israel release the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners it has in custody in contravention of international law. 

As of March 1, at least of 4,936 Palestinians are currently incarcerated in Israeli prisons. Of these, 178 are being held without charges or trial in administrative detention; 15 are duly elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council; 185 are children; and 12 are women. These Palestinians are being held in inhumane conditions and are suffering under brutal policies that violate international law and deprive them of their internationally guaranteed protections afforded them as an occupied people. The Israeli Prison System policies of isolation, torture, lack of access to proper medical care, exercise, education and family visits are all illegal and serve to oppress and demoralize the prisoners.

 AMP would like to call your attention to those who have died in prison due to Israeli use of torture and neglect such as Arafat Jaradat and Maysara Abuhamdia, as well as pointing to the on-going prisoners on a hunger strike to protest IPS policies, such as Samer Issawi, Samer Al Barq; Younis Al Hroub; Muhammad Ahmad An Najjar; Zakariyeh Al Heeh; Ibrahim Al Sheikh Khalil; Hazem Al Tawil and all the others who are starving themselves in hopes of improving conditions for themselves and all political prisoners.

AMP is deeply distressed by the arrest and mistreatment of 14-year-old American Muhammad Khalek, who was arrested without a warrant in a predawn raid on his home in Silwan on April 5. Muhammad, who wears orthodontic braces, was punched in the mouth and interrogated without a parent present and is still being held. News reports indicate his father still has not been allowed to visit him.
Some form of physical violence during arrest, interrogation and pretrial detention occurred in nearly 79 percent of cases documented by Defence for Children International-Palestine in 2012. In more than half of those cases, children were arrested from the family home between midnight and dawn.

It is time for US support of these grave human rights violations to end! Take action now!

Through its diplomatic, political and financial support – which amounts to well more than $3 billion per year – to Israel, the United States becomes complicit in the crimes Israel continues to commit on a daily basis.

AMP calls upon its supporters and all people of conscience to call the White House and State Department today on Palestinian Prisoners Day to demand the release of Palestinian political prisoners.

Politely but firmly demand that the US administration sanction Israel for the deaths of Arafat Jaradat and Maysara Abuhamdia and demand that the Israelis release hunger striker Samer Issawi and all the Palestinian administrative detainees and political prisoners held by Israel.

1) Call President Obama at 1.202.456.1111
2) Call US Secretary of State John Kerry at 1.202.647.4000 (pick option 4 for the operator and ask to leave a message for Kerry) and the Office of Near East Affairs at 1.202.647.7209 (you will get transferred to Marguerite Pickett to leave a message)