Mohammed Al Qiq’s suspends second hunger strike

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Mohammed Al Qiq

Mohammed Al Qiq, 34-year-old Palestinian journalist and political prisoner, made headlines last year with a hunger strike against his detention in 2016, which lasted 94 days. After calls from many human rights organisations, Al Qiq eventually made it out of prison alive.

Rearrested

On January 15th this year, Israeli occupation forces arrested Al Qiq again. They nabbed him while returning home from a demonstration demanding the release of the dead bodies of Palestinians killed by the Israeli occupation army. Israeli authorities gave no reason for his arrest. On February 6, his incarceration received the label of ‘administrative detention’. Under this pretext, hundreds of Palestinians get jailed each year without charge or trial, for indefinite periods of time.

Al Qiq went on hunger strike as soon as the occupation authorities formally announced his administrative detention. Since then, he has been deteriorating quickly. His physical condition has by now reached the stage where he is unable to walk, has problems with his vision, is almost unable to speak, and is coughing up blood. Consequently, on March 8, Israeli prison authorities transferred him to the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

Amnesty International: ruling ‘unjust and cruel’

Amnesty International has protested against the ruling of administrative detention against Al Qiq. It referred to the decision as an ‘affront to justice’ and as ‘’unjust and cruel’.

This time around, Al Qiq’s health condition is deteriorating at a much more rapid pace than during his first hunger strike. It has now become of crucial importance to accelerate and escalate protests calling for his release.

salash

Fayha Salash, wife of Al Qiq

Mohammed’s wife, Fayha Salash, as well as his father, lawyer Ahmad Al Qiq, have issued calls to support Al Qiq in his hunger strike, and to call for his release. Mohammed has two children, five-year-old Islam and two-year-old Lour.

Supporting Mohammed Al Qiq

Fayha Salash: “This is his fight, and what he needs from us is support. I’m not sure he could continue without knowing that we are all behind him and fighting for him.”

Responding to her call, write to your local human rights organizations and mobilize your social media contacts. Amplify the voice of this courageous hunger striker, to generate the pressure needed to secure his release. One of the ways to call attention to the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers, is  by sharing the song ’Hungry’, the song by Doc Jazz that was written in support of legendary hunger striker Samer Issawi.

Just as this above article was published, Al Quds News Network announced that Al Qiq had suspended his hunger strike on its 30th day, after striking a deal with the prison authorities.  The title of the article was adjusted in response. We congratulate him on this victory!

 


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Doc Jazz

Doc Jazz is a Palestinian musician, currently based in the United Arab Emirates. He was born and raised in the Netherlands, which is where he started his first musical endeavors. He works full-time as a surgeon, and produces his songs in his free time. He usually does all the instruments and vocals in his recordings by himself. His music, which covers a wide variety of genres ranging from funky pop and jazz all the way to rap and Arabic music, has been featured on many media outlets in the Netherlands, in the Middle East, and elsewhere. The Palestinian cause plays a big role in the themes of his songs.

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