After the arrest of Professor Imad Barghouti on October 23rd, only today the family has received second-hand news about Prof. Barghouti’s whereabouts and the status of his health. He appears to have been already transferred to a detention center and is no longer under investigation – though no charges have been brought against him. He is thus now held in the Ofer Prison, an Israeli detention center located in the occupied West Bank. The reports the family received also indicate that he is overall in good health but we have no definitive information on whether he has been subjected to any abuse by the Israeli forces. Further updates on his case might come on October 30th when a court date is set in which indirect sources claim that Prof. Imad Barghouti is scheduled to appear.
We are nevertheless extremely concerned about Prof. Barghouti, as there are numerous reports indicating that the conditions of Palestinian prisoners have deteriorated considerably in the last few weeks with two Palestinians dying in Israeli jails. It is deeply unsettling that the international community has been so vocal on the release of the hostages held in Gaza yet absolutely silent regarding the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners like Prof. Barghouti held in Israeli captivity with no charges.
We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of our colleague Prof. Imad Barghouti. You can sign the petition here.