Chile Advocates for Palestine: Calls on Boric Government to Address Imprisonment of Palestinian MP Held for 23 Years

Original article: Chile alza la voz por Palestina: piden al gobierno de Boric pronunciarse por la liberación de diputado palestino preso hace 23 años en cárceles israelíes

Chilean jurists, legislators, and public figures have initiated a global campaign for the release of Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian MP and leader who has been imprisoned in Israeli jails for 23 years. This announcement came during a press conference held at the National Congress in Santiago, emphasizing the political nature and human rights implications of his prolonged incarceration.

Lawyer and diplomat Nelson Hadad highlighted that Barghouti is regarded as one of the most popular politicians in both Jerusalem and the West Bank and Gaza. He elaborated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to release him because «he is not interested in a solution to the conflict that involves the establishment of a Palestinian state,» as reported by Prensa Latina.

Within this context, the organizers urged the Gabriel Boric administration, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to take a stand on the situation of the Palestinian MP and to support the international initiative for the release of Marwan Barghouti.

Allegations of Torture, Confinement, and Inter-Parliamentary Union Resolutions

Senator Francisco Chahuán, a member of the Human Rights Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), reported that following October 7, 2023, the legislator has been subjected to confinement and torture, facing difficulties in communicating with his family and lawyers.

Chahuán recalled that the IPU recently adopted three resolutions in Geneva condemning Israel for the situation facing Barghouti and other Palestinian prisoners. These resolutions served as a backdrop for launching the global initiative from Chile.

According to the participants, the scenario described by the IPU and human rights organizations constitutes a serious and ongoing violation of basic guarantees.

A Call for Boric and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to State Their Position

In light of this situation, Chilean politicians and jurists decided to launch the global initiative for Marwan Barghouti’s release and called on Gabriel Boric’s government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to address this issue.

The aim is for Chile to adopt a clear stance regarding the Palestinian MP’s case, linking it to its international commitment to human rights and the resolutions already adopted in multilateral forums.

Hadad Calls for Sanctions and Boycott of Israel for War Crimes and Genocide in Gaza

During the press conference, Chile’s former ambassador to the Middle East, Nelson Hadad, went beyond Barghouti’s individual case. He advocated for applying sanctions and boycotting Israel over its war crimes and genocide in Gaza.

Hadad also denounced the pressures from the United States and some European countries to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu for corruption charges and to nullify the existing arrest warrants against him.

«The arrest warrants remain active, are unprescribable, and there cannot be impunity here,» he asserted, emphasizing the ongoing nature of these measures. He reminded the audience that «we are facing a government that does not hesitate to kill 70,000 people» and insisted that this figure «must remain engraved in the minds of humanity.»