Update

#FreeMahmoud: Israel extends Mahmoud Nawajaa’s detention by 5 more days

Israel is fabricating false allegations against him as retribution for the BDS movement’s impressive growth and impact

13 August 2020 -- Today, an Israeli military court extended by five more days the illegal detention of Palestinian human rights defender and BDS coordinator Mahmoud Nawajaa, who was arrested on July 30th.

Israel’s internal security Shin Bet has failed to present any charges against Nawajaa to date.

Speaking for the BDS movement for Palestinian rights, Majida Masri, coordinator of the Palestinian Women’s Campaign for Boycotting Israeli products, said:

We need to intensify our campaign to #FreeMahmoud. Israel is fabricating false allegations against him as retribution for the BDS movement’s impressive growth and impact in the last few years.

Mahmoud Nawajaa’s arrest came at a time when Palestinian civil society is calling for effective international accountability measures, including lawful and targeted sanctions, to prevent Israel’s planned de jure annexation and to stop its apartheid regime and ongoing, de facto annexation.

Considering Nawajaa a human rights defender, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has condemned his arbitrary arrest and called for international pressure on Israel to release him immediately and unconditionally. This follows similar calls by Front Line Defenders, the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC) and Amnesty International.

Mahmoud was only allowed to see his lawyer, appointed by Addameer - Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, for the first time on August 11th, after being held incommunicado for 12 days. Through his lawyer, Nawajaa reassured his family and friends that he is “in good health and spirits and determined to continue his BDS work for Palestinian rights.” He also expressed “deep gratitude” to everyone around the world working to free him.

As part of the international campaign to #FreeMahmoud, the Palestinian BDS National Committee, the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society, organized on Tuesday two protest rallies in Ramallah and Gaza in front of German diplomatic missions, in light of Germany’s current presidency of the EU Council. More than 150 representatives of Palestinian mass movements, trade unions, political parties and BDS activists joined the rallies, demanding that EU apply concrete pressure on Israel to release Nawajaa and respect Palestinian rights under international law.


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