56 Members of the European Parliament have issued a letter to Catherine Ashton, Vice-President and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, asking her urgent intervention in favor of The Freedom Theatre’s Artistic Director Nabil Al-Raee.
Strasbourg, 13 June 2012
To: Mrs Catherine Ashton
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Madam High Representative
We, Members of the European Parliament, ask your urgent intervention in favor of Mr. Nabil Al-Raee, Palestinian citizen, artistic director of “Freedom Theatre” – a cultural Centre and Theatre School working since 2006 at Jenin Refugee Camp in West Bank, who has been arrested at his home at early hours of 6th June by Israeli armed forces, with their face covered and no explanation given.
Since then, there is no clear information on where he has been carried to, the conditions of his detention, his physical and mental health status and what is more on the reasons for his detention. According to some information by the Israeli authorities Mr.Nabil Al-Raee is detained in a prison in the north of Israel and cannot be contacted, not even by his lawyer.
As you probably know, “Freedom Theatre” is an institution dedicated to work with children and young people aiming to help a population living under very tough conditions, surrounded by a 3-meter high concrete wall.
The “Freedom Theatre” group’s work has been shadowed by permanent threats by the Israeli authorities. After the assassination of its founder, Juliano Mer-Khamis, late 4th of April 2011, detentions of its members became a routine for the group.
We consider that it is a duty of the international community and much more of the European Union, to demand from the leaders of the State of Israel to respect international law and cease maintaining the repressive and brutal wave of detentions, contrary to the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Furthermore, the EU should support the cultural work done that helps bring about a climate of understanding.
Given the urgency of the situation, we would appreciate your response to safeguard and protect the life of Nabil Al-Raee.
Thank you for keeping us informed of any initiatives that you plan to take.
Kind regards,
Kyriacos TRIANTAPHYLLIDES
Patrick LE HYARIC
Marisa MATIAS
Alda SOUSA
Willy MEYER
Helmut SCHOLZ
Søren Bo SØNDERGAARD
Sabine WILS
Paul MURPHY
Marie-Christine VERGIAT
Martina ANDERSON
Jacky HENIN
Mikael GUSTAFSSON
Younous OMARJEE
Ana MIRANDA
Elisa FERREIRA
Ana Maria GOMES
Michael CASHMAN
Ivo VAJGL
Margrete AUKEN
Gianni VATTIMO
Chris DAVIES
Frieda BREPOELS
Raül ROMEVA i RUEDA
Judith SARGENTINI
Keith TAYLOR
Nicole KIIL-NIELSEN
Isabelle DURANT
Göran FÄRM
Véronique DE KEYSER
Britta THOMSEN
Rosario CROCETTA
Takis HADJIGEORGIOU
Norbert NEUSER
Marc TARABELLA
Malika BENARAB-ATTOU
Rui TAVARES
Gabriele ZIMMER
Vicente GARCÉS RAMÓN
Niccolò RINALDI
Jean LAMBERT
Isabelle DURANT
Jill EVANS
Maria Eleni KOPPA
Tatjana ZDANOKA
Graham WATSON
Andrew DUFF
Bart STAES
Françoise CASTEX
Robert GOEBBELS
Vincenzo IOVINE
