Global campaign demands release of jailed Palestinian leader Barghouti

A coordinated international campaign has been launched demanding the release of Marwan Barghouti, a senior Palestinian political leader who has been imprisoned by Israel for over two decades. The 66-year-old Fatah leader, often described as a potential unifying figure for Palestinians, is serving five life sentences related to the Second Intifada, a period of intense conflict that began in 2000.

A Multinational Mobilization

The campaign saw simultaneous events in several countries over recent days, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, South Africa, and various Arab nations. Activities also took place in Barghouti's hometown of Kobar in the occupied West Bank. According to his brother, Muqbel Barghouti, the initiative involves cooperation with human rights organizations and includes the participation of Nobel Peace Prize laureates, aiming to renew and amplify longstanding calls for his release.

Symbolic Actions and International Recognition

In London, demonstrations and art displays featured calls for Barghouti's freedom. In Kobar, a mural with the phrase "Free Marwan" was painted across a football field. The campaign benefits from significant symbolic support in France, where over 50 municipalities have granted Barghouti honorary citizenship. These actions underscore the international dimension of his case and the view among supporters that his imprisonment is a political obstacle to peace.

Context of Prisoner Conditions and Failed Release

The campaign relaunch comes amid heightened concern over the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Muqbel Barghouti stated that more than 90 detainees have died since October 2023 and warned of "torture, and killings" within the prison system. Reports from prisoners' rights groups allege that Marwan Barghouti himself was assaulted by Israeli soldiers, sustaining multiple rib fractures. Notably, Israel excluded Barghouti from the list of prisoners released under the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement, a decision seen by many as a strategic move to prevent his potential role in forging post-conflict Palestinian political unity.