Free Abdallah Abu Rahmah
On August 24th, 2010, in a hearing widely considered a mockery of justice, Palestinian nonviolent organizer Abdallah Abu Rahmah was convicted by an Israeli military court of incitement and organizing illegal marches. On October 11th 2010, he was sentenced to a year in prison.
And on March 15, 2011, he was finally released after serving 16 months.
We pressed for his release, because this was an unacceptable punishment for peaceful organizing. While the more than a year of life cannot be given back, Abu Rahmah is continuing to struggle for his people's freedom. “On my release, I have no intention to go back home and sit there idly. In fact, by imprisoning me they have silenced me long enough. Our cause is just, it is one striving for freedom and equality, and I intend to continue fighting for it just as I have before”.
Abdallah, a 39-year-old schoolteacher from Bil’in, is a leading organizer of nonviolent demonstrations that take place weekly in the Israeli-occupied West Bank village of Bil’in. These marches protest Israel’s construction-- in blatant violation of international law-- of the Wall and settlements on Bil’in’s land.
The detention of Abu Rahmah was part of Israel’s ongoing effort to crush the growing Palestinian movement of unarmed resistance to Israeli occupation, but it will not succeed.
Condemnation of Abu Rahmahs' arrest:
Sadly, the United States government is not on the list, having not said a word about Abdallah's unjust conviction.
Read more about Jewish Voice for Peaces' delivery of 5000 signatures for Abdallah to Secretary of State Clinton.
For more info on his case, go to the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee.
Read more about human rights defenders under attack here.