NOVANEWS
by Jalal Abukhater
Only six out of the original 27 Freedom Waves participants have been released, twenty-one participants are still detained in Israeli prisons. Egyptian journalist with Almasry Alyoum, Lina Attalah was the first to be released, she was handed over to officials at the Egyptian Embassy in Israel who later escorted her back home to Egypt through Taba crossing, Lina wrote an eyewitness account which can be found here. Majd Kayyal, a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship was released the same day as the ships were taken over by Israeli navy. Majd says he has been released with a fine of 3000 NIS (~810 USD) and his passport has been confiscated for a month. Two Greek captains, Giorgos and Zacharias, and two Al-Jazeera journalists Casey and Aimane where also released.
Among those left in prison are Jihan Hafez; journalist with Democracy Now, Hassan Al-Ghani; a Scottish Journalist with Press TV, and many others including a European parliament member. Some of the detained human rights activists were allowed a 3 minutes phone call, some were cut off after one minue. Paul Murphy reported from inside detention about the Israeli navy’s violent manner of boarding the ships in international waters and the bad treatement of the activists in prison. A letter was smuggled from prison by the Canadian David Heap describing situation from inside “Cell 9 of the Apartheid State of Israel.”
A press released was released today to update on the situation of the Palestine WavesPolitical Prisoners:
Freedom Waves to Gaza
Palestine Office @PALWaves
