Protect Palestinian Prisoners

Sheffield Members of Parliament

Stand with Palestinian Prisoners

None of us can fully grasp the extreme suffering being inflicted on Palestinian prisoners and their families who often have no idea when – or if – their loved one will be released, or even if they will survive imprisonment.

Those who are released report being starved, beaten, stripped, chained and blindfolded, with sexual violence - including attacks by dogs – taking place. Filming adds to the humiliation the captives feel.

The evidence of torture is beyond question.

In fact, B’Tselem, the Israeli Human Rights organisation, has said that the state’s entire prison system is a network of torture cells. And Israel is now on the UN blacklist of those who use torture systematically against prisoners.

We know that the UK has signed up to the Convention against Torture; so, it MUST act to prevent and punish the crime of torture. But shamefully, the Government has failed to take meaningful action.

We are campaigning at grassroots level here in Sheffield.

Our MPs can publicly pressure the Government to act, to protect Palestinian prisoners and punish Israel by imposing sanctions.

If you're a Sheffield resident, sign the petition to Sheffield MPs today.

To: Sheffield Members of Parliament
From: [Your Name]

From Sheffield residents, a call to Sheffield MPs: urge the Government to protect Palestinian Prisoners in Israeli jails and honour its treaty obligations.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHA) reported that “torture has become a ‘state doctrine’ in Israel, making prisons instruments of genocide and torture.” The UN has now added Israel to its blacklist of parties committing conflict-related sexual violence.

This is not new: for decades, clear evidence of Israel’s gross mistreatment of prisoners, including children, has been documented. Since October 2023, the abuse of prisoners has escalated.

A discriminatory judicial system puts Palestinians of all ages through military courts with extraordinarily high conviction rates. Over 9,000 Palestinians are imprisoned today, of whom 3,000 are held under Administrative Detention, meaning they have not been charged, or put on trial and can be held indefinitely. Systematic humiliation, beatings, sexual violence and starvation are widespread and state sanctioned – to date, over 90 prisoners have been killed in prisons since October 2023.

Israel’s new Execution Law applies only to Palestinians - another Execution Law applies to Gazans detained after October 7th, paving the way for televised show trials.

All states, including the UK, have an obligation to prevent and to punish such breaches of international law. But the UK has failed to take meaningful action.

With the new Labour leader taking office, it’s time to end the UK’s shameful lack of action.

We therefore urge you, Sheffield’s MPs, to publicly call on the Government to honour its binding treaty obligations and demand that Israel is sanctioned for its crimes.

State silence is state complicity