Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, to support calls for the release of Palestinian MP, Khalida Jarrar. He also called on the Minister to raise the case with his European colleagues.

Deputy Crowe said:

“Khalida Jarrar, a Palestinian MP, a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Palestinian Legislative Council, who was disgracefully sentenced to 15 months in jail by an Israeli military court on the 6^th of December.

“She was held without charge or trial under a six-month administrative detention order, which facilitates the Israeli authorities to imprison Palestinian activists without even going through the motions of hearing a case in these sham military courts.

“Jarrar was charged with 12 entirely political charges relating to her public political activity, including giving speeches, attending public forums, and calling for the freedom of Palestinian political prisoners.

“Human Rights Watch has stated that Jarrar’s case was ‘rife with due process violations’.

“Today I raised the case in the Dáil with Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs in a Parliamentary Question. I have called on the Minister to support calls for Jarrar’s immediate release.”

ENDS