Contents

1. Action Required
2. Summary
3. Background
4. Sample Letters

1. Action Required

a) Attend the vigil outside G4S:

Date: Friday 01 March 2013
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Venue: G4S, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT
Nearest Train/Tube: Victoria Tube Station

b) Attend the vigil outside BBC:

Date: Sunday 03 March 2013
Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Venue: BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, W1A 1AA
Nearest Train/ Tube: Oxford Circus Tube Station

Organised by: IHRC and Inminds

c) Write letters and emails to the Foreign Minister of your country and the BBC urging them to do whatever they can to persuade the BBC to cover the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers.

2. Summary

IHRC are urging campaigners and activists to demand the BBC follow its remit to “inform”, “educate” and provide “trusted World and UK news…” by covering the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers such as Samer Al-Issawi in G4S-provisioned Israeli prisons and interrogation centres.

3. Background

Samer Al-Issawi has spent more than 10 years in Israeli Prisons.  After his brief release in October 2011, as part of the exchange for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, Issawi was rearrested for visiting the West Bank. He has been on Hunger Strike now for over 200 days as part of a united effort to bring to international attention the Israeli Prison Systems in which torture and administrative detention are commonplace; in clear violation of international human rights law.

British-Danish security firm G4S has made provisions  to the Israeli security apparatus including a perimeter defence system and command control centre for Ofer prison in occupied Palestine, and security systems for the al-Jalame interrogation centre in Israel.

On Saturday 23 February 2013, Arafat Jaradat, 30, died following torture in Megiddo Prison by Israel’s security service Shin Bet. A postmortem and autopsy of Jaradat’s body revealed clear signs of torture and two broken ribs. Thousands of mourners gathered for his funeral and almost 4,500 Palestinian prisoners refused food on Sunday 24 February in protest over his death.

In spite of the increasing international awareness and campaigns on the issue of the Palestinian hunger strikers, BBC only reported on their situation following the death of Arafat Jaradat. Is the BBC waiting for one of these hunger strikers to die before they cover their plight?

4. Sample Letters

——————————————————————————————
Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you send and the reply you received, to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.
——————————————————————————————

a)   Lord Patten of Barnes, Chairman of the BBC Trust (Use the address below or email pattenc@parliament.uk)

[Your name]
[Your address]

Lord Patten of Barnes,
House of Commons,
London,
SW1A 0PW
United Kingdom.

[Date]

Dear Lord Patten,

Re: BBC blackout on reporting plight of Palestinian hunger strikers

I am deeply concerned over the BBC’s complete reporting dismissal of the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers such as Samer Al-Issawi, who has been on hunger strike now for over 200 days.

Samer Al-Issawi along with others human rights advocates are on hunger strike as part of a united effort to bring to international attention the Israeli Prison Systems in which torture and administrative detention are commonplace.

This ongoing oppression of individuals which is a clear violation of human rights law must be given its due media attention by the British media which claims to provide “trusted World and UK news…”

As the Chairman of the BBC Trust, I urge you to act in the best interest of all license fee payers in encouraging the BBC to report on the plight of the Palestinian hunger strikers which I believe to be an issue needy of immediate attention.

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]

[Your name]
——————————————————————————————

b)  Baron Hall of Birkenhead and Director-General of the BBC from 02 April 2013, Anthony Hall (Use the address below or email halla@parliament.uk)

[Your name]
[Your address]

Anthony William Hall
House of Lords, London,
SW1A 0PW

[Date]

Dear Baron Hall,

Re: BBC blackout on reporting plight of Palestinian hunger strikers

I am deeply concerned over the BBC’s complete dismissal of the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers such as Samer Al-Issawi, who has been on hunger strike now for over 200 days.

Samer Al-Issawi along with human rights advocates are on hunger strike as part of a united effort to bring to international attention the Israeli Prison Systems in which torture and administrative detention are commonplace.

This ongoing oppression of individuals which is a clear violation of human rights law must be given its due media attention by the BBC which claims to provide “trusted World and UK news…”

I urge you to initiate efforts to restore fairness and equality in the BBC’s reporting of local and international news when you take on the position of Director-General of the BBC on 02 April 2013.

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

c)  Nick Buckles, CEO of G4S

[Your name]
[Your address]

Nick Buckles, CEO of G4S
G4S UK & Ireland Head Office
Southside
105 Victoria Street
London, SW1E 6QT

[Date]

Dear Mr. Buckles,

Re: Complicity of G4S in the illegal occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses

I am deeply concerned over the complicity of G4S in the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses. G4S is providing security systems to help Israel secure prisons and interrogation centres where Palestinian children are being caged and tortured.

Arafat Jaradat, 30 year old Palestinian father of 2 children aged four and two years old, died on Saturday 23 February 2013 following severe torture by Israel’s security service in Megiddo Prison where the whole central command room is provisioned by G4S.

I demand from you that G4S discontinue all business with Israel with immediate effect.

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

——————————————————————————————
For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below
——————————————————————————————
IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Please help IHRC by visiting http://shop.ihrc.org and making a donation or buying an item from our on-line store.

If you want to subscribe to the IHRC list please send an email to subscribe@ihrc.org

If you want to unsubscribe from the IHRC list please send an email from your subscribed email address to unsubscribe@ihrc.org

If you are reusing this alert, please cite the source.
For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below.

“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”

Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Email: info@ihrc.org
Web: www.ihrc.org

Twitter @ihrc