Protestors in Powys gathered in Knighton to lend their voices in support of a prisoner who fell into a coma while on hunger strike in Israel.
Hisham Abu Hawash, the Palestinian man, had endured over 140 days on hunger strike, with only sips of salt water allowed, before slipping into a coma.
After hearing about Mr Hawash’s light, Radnor Palestine Links decided to take action and hold the demonstration in Brookside Square on Wednesday, January 5, with less than a day notice.
The group raised their voices for his release from Israeli prison where he has been held with no charge or trial since October 2020.
At the last minute they heard that the Israeli authorities had agreed not to renew his administrative detention so Mr Hawash had come off his hunger strike and begin the process of recovery - but decided to go ahead woth the demonstration.
“He is still not being freed,” said Christine Brooks of Knighton, “They won’t let him go till the end of February. That is terrible. We are here to call for his release and also to draw attention to the plight of dozens of other administrative detainees, and insist on the human right to a fair trial if you are imprisoned. If they have done something wrong, give them a fair trial, and if not, free them.”
Radnor Palestine Links is a small group with their eyes on human rights issues in Israel and Palestine.
They organise a variety of events - last summer a Palestine Festival in Knighton, last month a human rights event in Presteigne with Palestinian speakers on Zoom, and most months a small stall that sells Palestinian produce and has information available.
“We get good responses,” said Kate Maclean, who is from Knucklas. “Many people are interested.”