Brazilian-Palestinian former prisoner in hiding in West Bank
Brazilian-Palestinian former prisoner in hiding in West Bank
Islam Hamed, a Brazilian-Palestinian, is in hiding in the West Bank after spending seven years in Palestinian and Israeli jails. Campaigners demand his repatriation to Brazil.
4 min read
06 Aug, 2015
Islam Hamed's young son who has not seen his father for five years [facebook]
Islam Hamed, a Brazilian-Palestinian, spent a total of twelve years as a prisoner of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
After being released on 21 July, he is currently in hiding in the West Bank, fearing rearrest as campaigners from Sao Paulo to Palestine demand that Brazil grants him safe passage back to Brazil.
"He must hide himself to prevent any retaliation from Zionist forces or even the PA", said Aline Baker, Islam’s cousin who currently resides in Sao Paulo - the birthplace of his mother.
"Therefore he does not have a normal life with his family. That is why he wants to come to Brazil, to have a normal life, a job, to be together with his wife and son."
First arrested when he was just seventeen during the second intifada, Hamed spent seven years in an Israeli prison.
"He was accused of trying to kill a settler, illegal possession of weapons and dissent regarding the PA," Aline said.
"Due to a lack of proof, he was declared not guilty for attempt of killing a settler, but was condemned to three years in jail for illegal possession of weapons and dissent."
He left prison at the end of his term but shortly afterwards was detained under administrative detention - a much condemned process which allows Israel to hold prisoners without charge.
After his eventual release he was consequently arrested by the Palestinian Authority, allegedly for his "his own protection", in what is an especially blatant case of PA security co-ordination with Israel.
He was held for five years in a Palestinian prison in the West Bank.
"Palestinian authorities claim to keep him in jail for his own safety despite of the fact that Hamed and his family wanted him to be set free immediately," Aline said.
As a result of the Oslo accords, Palestinian security forces were required to "coordinate" with Israel in the occupied territories. In July, Hassan Youssef, a member of Hamas legislative council said that there were 100 political prisoners being held in PA jails.
Despite Hamed’s release being scheduled for 2013, the PA continued to hold Hamed in substandard conditions.
"He was kept in isolation and subjected to torture," Aline said. “He was kept in the worst cell alone with lights turned on 24 hours per day."
To protest against this injustice, Hamed undertook a hunger strike for 101 days, during which he lost 30 kilos, was unable to stand up, and required medical attention.
Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said at the time: "Hamed is in his fourth month without food and his condition is now very serious. We urge the Palestinian authorities to respect the court ruling and release Islam Hamed."
Hamed's family in Brazil appealed to the embassy in Palestine for intervention, however the justification given by Palestine's ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzbien, was woefully inadequate.
"We were shocked to hear the Palestinian ambassador's statement saying that, if there's torture, that's because there's been misbehaviour," said Hamed's aunt Mariam Baker, who lives in São Paulo.
Hamed was eventually released after he signed a document provided by the PA declaring that he is responsible for his own life.
"The Brazilian authorities...asked the Israelis to provide a safe-conduct for Hamed leave occupied Palestine and come to Brazil", said Aline.
"But the Israeli authorities sent an official reply stating that they will not let Hamed leave occupied Palestine because they are still investigating the case after five years..."
Both the president of the Brazilian Commission on Human Rights and Minorities, and the president of the Commission of Foreign Relations and National Defence, Paulo Pimenta e Jô Moraes, have signed a letter to the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations requesting Islam be repatriated.
However, Aline feels that Brazilian authorities should be more vocal to put pressure on Isarael to allow him to leave Palestine.
On Tuesday campaigners from London Palestinian Action protested outside the Brazilian embassy, while Islam’s family and the "Free Islam campaign" also held protests to demand that the Brazilian government ensure his safe repatriation to Brazil.
After being released on 21 July, he is currently in hiding in the West Bank, fearing rearrest as campaigners from Sao Paulo to Palestine demand that Brazil grants him safe passage back to Brazil.
"He must hide himself to prevent any retaliation from Zionist forces or even the PA", said Aline Baker, Islam’s cousin who currently resides in Sao Paulo - the birthplace of his mother.
"Therefore he does not have a normal life with his family. That is why he wants to come to Brazil, to have a normal life, a job, to be together with his wife and son."
First arrested when he was just seventeen during the second intifada, Hamed spent seven years in an Israeli prison.
"He was accused of trying to kill a settler, illegal possession of weapons and dissent regarding the PA," Aline said.
"Due to a lack of proof, he was declared not guilty for attempt of killing a settler, but was condemned to three years in jail for illegal possession of weapons and dissent."
He left prison at the end of his term but shortly afterwards was detained under administrative detention - a much condemned process which allows Israel to hold prisoners without charge.
After his eventual release he was consequently arrested by the Palestinian Authority, allegedly for his "his own protection", in what is an especially blatant case of PA security co-ordination with Israel.
He was held for five years in a Palestinian prison in the West Bank.
"Palestinian authorities claim to keep him in jail for his own safety despite of the fact that Hamed and his family wanted him to be set free immediately," Aline said.
As a result of the Oslo accords, Palestinian security forces were required to "coordinate" with Israel in the occupied territories. In July, Hassan Youssef, a member of Hamas legislative council said that there were 100 political prisoners being held in PA jails.
Despite Hamed’s release being scheduled for 2013, the PA continued to hold Hamed in substandard conditions.
"He was kept in isolation and subjected to torture," Aline said. “He was kept in the worst cell alone with lights turned on 24 hours per day."
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| A cartoon by Carlus Lattuf drawn at the time of Islam's hunger strike [facebook] |
Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said at the time: "Hamed is in his fourth month without food and his condition is now very serious. We urge the Palestinian authorities to respect the court ruling and release Islam Hamed."
Hamed's family in Brazil appealed to the embassy in Palestine for intervention, however the justification given by Palestine's ambassador to Brazil, Ibrahim Alzbien, was woefully inadequate.
"We were shocked to hear the Palestinian ambassador's statement saying that, if there's torture, that's because there's been misbehaviour," said Hamed's aunt Mariam Baker, who lives in São Paulo.
Hamed was eventually released after he signed a document provided by the PA declaring that he is responsible for his own life.
"The Brazilian authorities...asked the Israelis to provide a safe-conduct for Hamed leave occupied Palestine and come to Brazil", said Aline.
"But the Israeli authorities sent an official reply stating that they will not let Hamed leave occupied Palestine because they are still investigating the case after five years..."
Both the president of the Brazilian Commission on Human Rights and Minorities, and the president of the Commission of Foreign Relations and National Defence, Paulo Pimenta e Jô Moraes, have signed a letter to the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations requesting Islam be repatriated.
However, Aline feels that Brazilian authorities should be more vocal to put pressure on Isarael to allow him to leave Palestine.
On Tuesday campaigners from London Palestinian Action protested outside the Brazilian embassy, while Islam’s family and the "Free Islam campaign" also held protests to demand that the Brazilian government ensure his safe repatriation to Brazil.
The manifesto the group presented to the Brazilian embassy concludes, “In a democratic state of law, the presumption of innocence prevails over guilt.
"Moreover, Islam Hamed is Brazilian and should be protected by our State, including the guarantee of legal follow-up. We appeal to the Brazilian government to guarantee his physical integrity and make every effort for his safe passage to Brazil as soon as possible".
Aline Baker says she will campaign until Islam is brought home.
"I want to thank all individuals, friends, social movements and parliamentarians that helped us in this struggle," she said. "We still need them all to bring Hamed safe to Brazil. That is our aim. We hope to carry it out."
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