This materials and action guide has been crafted to help groups and individuals of conscience plan and undertake events, actions and educational work in support of Palestinian political prisoners. Please contact us at info@newjerseysolidarity.org or (973)954-2521 for requests, questions and further information about using these materials.
April 17 is Palestinian Prisoners' Day. However, the struggle of Palestinian political prisoners continues every day, and these materials can be used at any time to draw attention to the prisoners' cause. Here are some things you and your group can do to support Palestinian political prisoners and educate the public.
Most people in the US know very little about Palestine, let alone about Palestinian political prisoners. By distributing information and sharing news and voices left unheard in mainstream media, you can help break through the barriers of misinformation and ignorance that have been erected.
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Palestinian Political Prisoners Factsheet - This factsheet contains information about Palestinian political prisoners, Palestinian women and child prisoners, torture and abuse, and the U.S. connection. It also contains handy tips for how readers can take action, and a space is provided for local groups to place their contact information when distributing this flyer. Please make use of this flyer - distribute it in your community, place of work, schools, universities and colleges, places of worship, and wherever else it may be of interest. |
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Political Prisoner Poster 1 (11 x 17 or 8.5 x 11) and Political Prisoner Poster 2 (11 x 17 or 8.5 x 11) are available for your use! These striking posters, available for download in 8.5 x 11" or 11 x 17" sizes, feature a large graphic and critical facts and numbers about the situation of Palestinian political prisoners. They can be posted in your community, on bulletin boards, around your campus, or displayed at an event or action to raise awareness about Palestinian Political Prisoners. These posters and factsheets can be distributed in many places. To give you a few ideas:
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Your group or organization can host an event or action focusing on political prisoners. If you would like to have a presentation, a group member can present using the PowerPoint presentation developed by Sumoud. If you would like suggestions for outside speakers, please contact us at info@newjerseysolidarity.org.
Your group or organization can also show a film. As long as you have access to the equipment needed, a film showing can be a very simple, yet very effective, event:
To make an even bigger impression with your film showing, you can also do a street projection.
In order to advertise your event, make a flyer or promotional advertisement, distribute widely, invite friendly local groups and organizations, and try to spread the word as much as possible! You may wind up with new members or even a dedicated political prisoners committee.
In order to draw more attention to your leafleting and bring more public exposure to the issue, you may wish to hold a visually-oriented or street theater action. If this is the case, you may wish to do this spontaneously, with no advance notice - or you may wish to send out a press advisory. Such actions can often produce excellent photographs and inspire local press interest in an issue, even if the coverage itself is spotty or problematic.
Fake "chains", which can be had cheaply at toy and novelty stores, make an excellent prop. A mock "prisoner" can be blindfolded with some fabric, and wear either a jumpsuit or plain black pajamas or clothing that reasonably resembles prison garb. This person can wear a kuffiyeh around his or her neck and carry a sign that cites statistics about Palestinian political prisoners - one of our posters, or a sign with a simple slogan like "One of 11,000 Palestinian Political Prisoners, Held Captive With Your Tax Dollars," while other activists distribute literature.
More elaborate scenarios could include a mock "mass arrest", with Palestinians being rounded up by "IDF soldiers", or a mock "abusive interrogation," illustrating the real-life horrors faced by Palestinian political prisoners to a curious audience who will be interested to read your flyers and literature.
An action or a small street protest can be done in any public area; pay attention to your local regulations for permits and gatherings. One location you may wish to consider, if an office exists in your city, is a local office of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC is charged with overseeing the treatment of prisoners internationally and has been criticized by Palestinian organizations and families of the prisoners for not doing enough to protect imprisoned Palestinians.
You can also write directly - individually, as an organization, or as part of a group letter-writing campaign - to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Letters can be sent to:
Jakob Kellenberger
President
International Committee of the Red Cross
19 avenue de la Paix
CH 1202 Geneva
Switzerland
A sample letter is available here for use and download.
You can help Palestinian prisoners, and also help to support educational efforts, by donating financially. To support the work of Palestinian organizations in Palestine helping political prisoners, please contact Addameer directly.
If you would like to support the development of further public education materials, please help to support our work. Your donation enables us to continue making resource materials available, developing new resources and expanding existing ones.
