“We, the signatories, affirm our conviction that freedom and dignity are the essence of civilization. People around the globe, and throughout history, have risen to defend their freedom and dignity against colonial rule, oppression, segregation and apartheid. Generations of men and women have made great sacrifices to forge universal values, uphold fundamental freedoms and advance international law and human rights. There is no greater risk to our civilization than to relinquish these principles and to allow for their breach and denial without accountability”.
This is the beginning of the Declaration of Robben Island, linked to the international campaign for the freedom of Marwan Barghouti and the 4,000 Palestinian political prisoners that remain today in Israeli jails.
The campaign was launched from the cell of Nelson Mandela, the universal symbol of freedom, on the 27th of October 2013, by the South African political veteran Ahmed Kathrada, who started the first campaign for the release of Mandela in the 1960s. Now, mobilization for the release of the Palestinian political leader is expanding and it has already the support of great figures of peace and human rights defense, setting an important International Committee.
Marwan Barghouti has been in jail since April 15th 2002, when Israeli security agents, pretending to be a medical ambulance, he was arrested in daylight and took him to Israel. Twelve years in prison, have not done his figure be forgotten. Instead, Barghouti is now a key player in the peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel. Many people speak about him as the Palestinian Mandela.
From NOVACT-International Institute for Nonviolent Action, we have subscribed to the campaign, also claiming that one of the most important indicators for peacebuilding and conflict resolution is the release of all people imprisoned for political issues in Israel.
