New York event builds support for Palestinian prisoners

Former Palestinian political prisoner Akram Al-Ayasa, and Palestinian lawyer Sahar Francis from the prisoners’ support and human rights association Addameer, spoke at a special meeting here on April 1. The event was sponsored by Al-Awda—the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, the New York Committee to Defend Palestine and Workers World Party.

April 1 WWP meeting.

Both speakers told of the tremendous hardships and lack of justice these political prisoners face. At present, there are 7,500 political prisoners in Palestine, held by the Israeli government.

Al-Ayasa was detained and harassed at JFK airport immigration desk for hours upon arrival to New York. Despite this, he continued on by taxi cab to the meeting, where the audience eagerly waited for him and stayed for the entire event.

A third scheduled speaker, former political prisoner Ala Jaradat, was denied a visa to enter the United States.