The crew of the MV Saoirse and the Tahrir remain in custody in Givon Prison. Reports have emerged of violence used when the ship was hijacked by the Israeli Navy, and from a telephone conversation with Paul we have learned that the crew have been severely mistreated in prison ( see here )
Below is a protest letter which can be copied and sent to the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin Mr. Boaz Modai in solidarity with the jailed activists. To contact him and register your disgust his email address is: ambsec@dublin.mfa.gov.il
The Embassy can also be contacted by telephone on (01) 230 9400, or by fax on : (01) 230 9446
Dear Ambassador Modai,
I am writing to you to register my disgust at the actions of the Israeli state and military in its treatment of the activists on board the MV Saoirse and Tahrir.
These ships carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza through your illegal blockade were boarded in international waters. This is an act of piracy. While boarding the ships, the level of violence used against the unarmed crew was sickening. The ship and its contents were then attacked.
The crew were then abducted by your military and brought against their will to the Israeli port of Ashdod. They were then, incredibly, charged with having ‘illegally entered Israel’ despite the fact that it was never their intention to enter Israel, they were kidnapped and brought there by your military.
Since the crew have been transferred to Givon prison, they have been abused further. They have had all their belongings taken from them. They were denied their right to a phone call. But most disturbingly, they have been the victims of a co-ordinated campaign of sleep deprivation. This is a breach of their human rights and I condemn it in the strongest terms possible.
I demand that you, in your position of Ambassador, secure the immediate release from Givon prison of the crew and allow them to continue their journey to Gaza. I repeat again that they have not ‘illegally entered Israel’ but were brought there against their will. I demand that the ships Tahrir and MV Saoirse are repaired to their original state and that the cargo is replaced at the expense of the Israeli state, so they can complete their journey.
Yours,
