New film increases pressure on UK to act over Palestinian prisoners

With yet more Palestinian hunger-striking prisoners facing the prospect of death in Israeli detention, a new film by William Parry and Caroline Rooney hopes to raise awareness of the issues facing Palestinian prisoners and encourage British politicians to take action.

The film, Breaking the generations: Palestinian prisoners and medical rights, features interviews with former detainees, their families and legal and health experts, and addresses several key human rights and humanitarian issues faced by Palestinian prisoners.

On a Medical Aid for Palestinians-hosted campaign page, British viewers of the film are encouraged to write to their MPs, urging the government to “apply full diplomatic and political pressure on the Israeli government”, in order to achieve three aims:

“End the arbitrary use of administrative detention against Palestinian prisoners; outlaw the use of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and end these practices in Israeli prisons; fulfil its legal obligations to provide Palestinian prisoners with adequate medical care and mental health treatment.”

Commenting on the film, Palestinian prisoners support group Addameer said: “Over 700 Palestinian administrative detainees are currently being held without charge or trial. It is crucial that the UK speaks out on their behalf and highlights Israel’s systematic violations of international human rights laws, including systematic detention without charge or trial, torture and ill treatment, and medical negligence inside Israeli prisons and detention centres.”

The documentary can be viewed using the following link: https://vimeo.com/157902498