Sit-In in Damascus in Solidarity with Syrian and Palestinian Prisoners on a Hunger Strike in Occupation’s Jails

DAMASCUS, (ST)- The Committee for Supporting Syrian Liberated Prisoners and Detainees in the Israeli Jails on Thursday held a popular sit-in in front of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Damascus.

The event was organized in solidarity with the Syrian and Palestinian prisoners staging a hunger strike in the occupation’s jails and who entered the battle of empty stomachs and are suffering the hunger pains to stress their resistance against the Zionist occupation’s oppressive and arbitrary practices against them. 

  The committee handed head of the ICRC Mission in Syria Marianne Gasser a letter urging the ICRC and other international and legal organizations to assume their historical responsibilities and to pressure the Israeli occupation authorities as to meet the legitimate demands of the prisoners and to work hard to release them with the dean of the Syrian and Arab prisoners Sidqi al-Maqt at the top of the list.

The Syrian and Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails started a hunger strike on April 17 in protest of the occupation’s oppressive and inhuman practices against them.

In a statement to the press, head of the committee, liberated prisoner, Ali al-Younis said the the sit came to express our loyalty to the Syrian and Palestinian Prisoners in the occupation’s jails and to stress our support for their legendary steadfastness in the battle of empty stomachs which has brought the Palestinian cause into light again despite some attempts aiming to undermine this just Arab cause.

Gasser, on her part, said “the hunger strike is a bid to guarantee that the prisoners receive better living conditions and treatment,” pointing out that there is continuous contacts between the ICRC and the occupation authorities to visit the prisoners, ensure medical care and discuss the issue of relatives’ visits.

She added, the letter will be conveyed to the ICRC’ main headquarter in Geneva as to adopt necessary measures.      

Hamda Mustafa