Description

by: The Freedom Theatre date: 2012-09-10

On the 9th of September Zakaria Zubeidi announced that he will embark on a death fast, a complete food and fluid strike, in response to the continuous postponement of his release from Palestinian Authority prison. This effectively means that unless the Palestinian Authority releases Zakaria he will most probably not make it through the week.

Zubeidi, co-founder of The Freedom Theatre and former leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, has been imprisoned by the Palestinian Authority for close to four months. No charges have been made against him, no evidence presented and throughout his imprisonment his rights have been severely violated, as described by among others Human Rights Watch (http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/27/israelpalestinian-authority-theater-group-hit-both-sides).

Being one of the last survivors of Arna's Children(1), Zakaria joined the armed resistance during the second Intifada and became one of its leading figures. After co-founding The Freedom Theatre in 2006 Zakaria decided to lay down his weapons in order to join a cultural resistance, which he deemed a more powerful tool against the Israeli occupation. Surviving numerous assassination attempts by the Israeli army and vowing to never again enter an Israeli prison, Zakaria is now instead facing death in a Palestinian prison unless immediate action is taken.

The Freedom Theatre urges all its friends and supporters to:


- Contact the local representative office of the Palestinian Authority(2) and demand Zakaria Zubeidi's release. Since the situation is urgent we also ask you to take more direct actions such as organising protests at PA representative offices.
- Contact local or regional human rights offices and organizations such as Amnesty International and urge them to take action.
- Contact your local MP and MEP and urge them to take action.
- Contact your country's representative office in the occupied Palestinian territory and urge them to take action(3).
- Call these numbers to demand Zakaria's release:

+972 (0)599000011 Abo Mohammad Shadeh, Head of the Palestinian Authority President’s Security Office

+972(0)2000011 Said Abualheja, Ministry of Interior

+972 (0)-597778887 Majd Faraj, Head of Palestinian Intelligence

PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
Tel +972(0)22959928/81370-5

Secretary General
Tayyeb Abdul Rahim
Tel +972(0)2959928 / (0)82824171

Director General
Intesar Abu Ammara
Tel +972(0)2959928

Media Unit
Tel. +972(0)2959928

Legal Unit
Tel +972(0)2959928
Tel +972(0598929900

Public Relations
Director General Hussam Dabbas
Tel +972(0)22981377
Tel +972(0599478478
Email hdabbas@president.ps

Special Representative
Rawhi Fattouh
Tel +972 (0)22959928

Presidential Spokesperson
Nabil Abu Rudaineh
Tel +972 (0)22959928
Fax 022963170

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
Tel +972(0)22968989
Email pm@pmo.pna.p
http://palestinecabinet.gov.ps

Dir. Gen., Prime Minister's Office
Mohammad Jarrad
Tel +972(0)22968989
Email mjarrad@pmo.pna.ps

International Relations Unit
Dir.Gen Manal Zeidan
Tel +972(0)22968989
Advisor to the Prime Minister
Omar Al-Ghoul
Tel +972(0)22951766/ (0)599408871

MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
Minister: Saed Abu Ali
Director General: Bassam Queder
Tel +972 (0)22429878

Deputy Minister: Hassan Alawi
Tel +972 (0)22429248

Legal Affairs: Nehaya Al-Saqqa
Tel +972 (0)22409964

Public Relations: Nasser Abu Fekhedeh
Tel +972 (0)22422684
Jenin Office: Dir. Mostafa Jaradat
Tel +972 (0)42503199/2501375

MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
Minister: Dr. Ali Khashan
Tel +972 (0)22973263 / +972 (0)2599549015
E-mail minister@moj.gov.ps, khashan@alqudsnet.com
Media & PR Unit
Dir. Samer Sharqawi
Tel +972 (0)599774335
E-mail sharq@moj.gov.ps


The Freedom Theatre will continue to monitor Zakaria's case closely and we will keep you updated.

SAMPLE LETTER

To [Name], representative of the Palestinian Authority

I am a staunch supporter of the Palestinian people and therefore I am now contacting you on an urgent matter. It has come to my knowledge that Zakaria Zubeidi, co-founder of The Freedom Theatre in Jenin and former military leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has been kept in Palestinian prison for over four months without any charges or accusations brought against him. I have also been informed that Zakaria's human rights have been violated on several accounts and that as a result he has started a death fast, refusing water or food. That means that he will die within 8-10 days and most probably before that suffer irreversible effects to his health. I urge you to take immediate actions for Zakaria's release. If you, as a representative of the Palestinian Authority will allow Zakaria to die then you must also know that I and many others will consider you partly responsible for his death.

I trust that you understand the need for your immediate response to this case.

Sincerely Yours,

[Name]
[Place]


REFERENCES
(1) http://www.arna.info/Arna

(2) http://www.palestinecabinet.gov.ps/site/456/default.aspx
http://www.minfo.ps/English/index.php?pagess=main&id=193&butt=5
http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/
http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/Palestine#5057
http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/Palestine

(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_in_Palestine

Twitter: #Freezakaria
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefreedomtheatre


Previous press releases, background and updates

Zakaria Zubeidi remains in prison (02092012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=275

Zakaria Zubeidi's release postponed (27082012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=274

Zakaria Zubeidi to be released on bail (22082012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=272

Zakaria Zubeidi temporarily released (19082012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=271

Human Rights Watch calls for end to harassment of The Freedom Theatre (28072012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=263

New information on Nabil and Zakaria (11072012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=257

Nabil and Zakaria on hunger strike (05072012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=256

Latest news on Nabil and Zakaria (01072012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=251

Action Alert: Free Nabil Al-Raee and Zakaria Zubeidi (07062012)
http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/news.php?id=239