Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, attended a demonstration outside Leinster House to draw attention to the ongoing hunger strike of administrative detainees in Palestine, which is entering its 50th day.

The demonstration was organised by the Campaign to Free Marwan Barghouthi and All Palestinian Political Prisoners – Ireland and the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Over 200 Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike and some are now entering their 50th day without food, a critical and life threatening phase. Over 80 hunger strikers have been so far been hospitalised.

“They are protesting against Israel’s use of administration detention against Palestinians, which is basically internment by remand.

“While international law does allow administrative detention in the most exceptional cases, Israel continues to use it systematically and as a form of collective punishment, with some Administrative Detainees having been incarcerated for over 5 years.

“The Israeli Parliament is now pushing ahead with plans to enact a bill which would allow them to force feed these prisoners.

“Forced feeding is a horrific procedure and in total contradiction to internationally-accepted medical ethics.

“We know from own history that Republican prisoners have died, or suffered serious long-term health problems, after being forced fed.

“I am calling on Israel’s Government to end its systematic use of administrative detention and to put in place negotiations which could facilitate the ending of this hunger strike and save the lives of these prisoners.”

ENDS