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Red Ribbons event in London highlights escalating crisis facing Palestinian hostages

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026

LONDON – Emotional testimonies, legal arguments, and political interventions marked a high-profile solidarity event held at SOAS University of London on Friday evening, as speakers warned that the situation of Palestinian hostages held in Israeli detention has reached what they described as “unprecedented levels of brutality” amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

The event, organised by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) in partnership with the Red Ribbons Campaign, brought together campaign coordinator Adnan Hmidan, ICJP director Tayb Ali, lawyer Khaled Mahajneh, Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek, campaigner Katrina Graham, and Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn. The discussion was chaired by journalist and activist Matilda Mallinson.

Speakers repeatedly argued that while global attention remains focused on Gaza, conditions inside Israeli prisons and detention facilities have deteriorated sharply since October 2023, with thousands of Palestinian hostages held outside the reach of international monitors.

Opening the event, Red Ribbons Campaign coordinator Adnan Hmidan said the initiative was created to ensure that Palestinian hostages “are not erased from international consciousness”.

READ: NHS doctor challenges use of IHRA definition in High Court after suspension over political speech

He stressed that those held in Israeli detention include journalists, doctors, students, women and children, many of whom are detained without charge under administrative detention orders.

Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajneh delivered one of the most emotionally charged interventions of the evening, describing what he called a “parallel war” being waged inside Israeli prisons alongside the military assault on Gaza.

Mahajneh said conditions for Palestinian hostages have deteriorated significantly, citing widespread reports of starvation, medical neglect, prolonged isolation and systematic humiliation.

Mathilda Mallinson at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026
Jeremy Corbyn at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026
Dr Mustafa Barghouti at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026

He also described a recent visit to imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, noting that Barghouti appeared deeply concerned with the condition of other detainees despite his own long-term isolation. Mahajneh said the repeated message he hears from inside detention facilities is simple: “Save us.”

Dr Mustafa Barghouti argued that new Israeli legislative measures should be understood within what he described as a wider apartheid system. He said the laws establish separate legal frameworks for Palestinians and Israeli Jews living under the same authority, entrenching structural discrimination.

Barghouti warned that the proposals reflect an escalating political culture of revenge following 7 October, and what he described as a widening acceptance of extreme policies within Israeli political discourse.

ICJP director and lawyer Tayb Ali focused on the legal implications of the proposed legislation, describing it as a “structural departure from fundamental principles of justice”.

He said the laws appear designed to target Palestinians as a collective category, removing judicial discretion through mandatory sentencing provisions in certain cases.

Ali criticised the reliance on military courts, noting their high conviction rates and the admissibility of evidence that would not meet standards in ordinary criminal justice systems.

He warned that accelerated procedures risk undermining the right to appeal and meaningful judicial review, effectively eroding basic due process protections.

READ: Rights groups condemn court-backed ban on Palestine Action

Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek said Israel is not only targeting Palestinians but also attempting to criminalise solidarity movements internationally. He argued that authorities seek to fragment the Palestinian cause into separate issues—prisoners, Gaza, refugees, and settlements—thereby obscuring its historical and political roots.

Campaigner Katrina Graham recounted her experience aboard the Sumud flotilla attempting to challenge the blockade on Gaza, including her detention by Israeli authorities. She referenced encounters with Israeli officials and described mistreatment during her detention, while emphasising that her experience was minor compared with the daily reality faced by Palestinian hostages.

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn also took part in the event, expressing solidarity with Palestinian hostages and calling for greater international scrutiny of their conditions.

His participation reflected growing concern among sections of British political and civil society over reports of abuses in Israeli detention facilities and the continued denial of basic rights to detainees.

Speakers throughout the evening stressed that while global attention remains focused on Gaza, the situation of Palestinian hostages inside Israeli prisons continues largely out of sight.

They urged international institutions, governments and civil society organisations to take urgent action to address what they described as a deepening humanitarian and legal crisis.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingRed Ribbons event in London highlights escalating crisis facing Palestinian hostages

Corbyn warns of new Labour threat to freedoms

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/corbyn-warns-new-labour-threat-freedoms

 Police detain protesters outside Woolwich Crown Court, London, during a hearing where Palestine Action activists were due to be sentenced over over a break-in at the UK base of an Israel-based defence firm, Elbit Systems site near Bristol on August 6 2024

YOUR PARTY parliamentary leader Jeremy Corbyn pledged to oppose the government’s National Security (State Threats) Bill today as ministers started to rush the measure through Parliament.

He warned that the Bill “is an alarming expansion of state power, and an escalation of the government’s chilling assault on the right to protest.

“This week more than 100 people were arrested for holding placards in support of a group that has taken direct action against British complicity in genocide. Meanwhile, Britain continues to sell arms to a state whose leader is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“This Bill represents  a further, grave risk to our civil liberties. Under the new legislation, people can be criminalised for ‘expressing an opinion or belief that is supportive of’ bodies that the Home Secretary deems prejudicial to ‘the safety or interests’ of the UK.”

Mr Corbyn added: “Deliberately vague and open-ended, this legislation gives the Home Secretary sweeping powers to criminalise political campaigns of their choosing.

“We are going down a very dangerous path, and the fact that this legislation is being rushed through Parliament in one day should alarm us all.

…

Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/corbyn-warns-new-labour-threat-freedoms

Image of the original Fascists Mussolini and Hitler.
The original Fascists Mussolini and Hitler salute UK’s Labour Party.

Continue ReadingCorbyn warns of new Labour threat to freedoms

France Asks Top Prosecutor to Probe Alleged Israeli Abuse of Gaza Flotilla Members

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Article by Brett Wilkins republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Global Sumud Flotilla member Meriem Hadjal speaks to the press after arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on May 22, 2026. (Photo by Firas Abdullah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

French nationals and people from dozens of countries who were abducted from the Global Sumud Flotilla say they were beaten, tortured, and sexually assaulted by their Israeli captors.

France’s government on Friday asked prosecutors to investigate Israel’s alleged mistreatment of French nationals aboard the last Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted earlier this month in international waters while trying to break the illegal decadeslong Israeli blockade of Gaza.

“Based on ⁠a report I requested from our Consul General in Turkey—who informed me of sexual violence, exposure to the cold, beatings, and repeated humiliation of French nationals—all of these acts are likely to constitute criminal offenses,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said during an interview with France Inter, adding, “I decided yesterday to refer the matter to the public prosecutor.”

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The move follows France’s indefinite ban from its territory of far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who posted a video on social media showing him joyfully humiliating detained activists, journalists, and others who were mostly kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs and their foreheads forced to the ground following the May 18 interception of flotilla vessels off the coast of Cyprus and the abduction of all aboard.

“We cannot tolerate that French nationals can be threatened, intimidated, or brutalized in this way—all the more so by a public official,” Barrot said last week.

People from around 40 countries—including 37 French nationals—were seized from dozens of flotilla vessels and held in harsh conditions on what many of them called a “torture boat.”

According to Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF): “Detained humanitarians, doctors, and journalists were processed one by one through a darkened shipping container. Inside, groups of three to five soldiers systematically brutalized each person who came through the door while those waiting outside listened to the screams.”

French medical professional Meriem Hadjal said she was “subjected to torture” in the container, where at least one Israeli soldier allegedly sexually assaulted her.

“We were treated like animals,” Hadjal added, accusing her Israeli captors of “sadism.”

GSF said Tuesday that “legal proceedings are now active in Turkey, Italy, and Spain, with Italian prosecutors opening an investigation into kidnapping and sexual assault” of flotilla members.

Numerous national governments condemned Israel’s treatment of the flotilla abductees, including the United States. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that Ben-Gvir “betrayed the dignity” of his nation, which receives billions of dollars in annual armed aid and diplomatic cover from the United States to carry out what many experts say is a genocidal war on Gaza.

Malaysia is reportedly preparing to initiate proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the abduction and alleged torture of its citizens, 29 of whom were aboard the flotilla. The ICJ is currently weighing a genocide case against Israel filed by South Africa and formally supported by nearly 20 nations.

“We will not remain silent, we will not stop. While the legal team gathers all documentation on violations of international law; they were kidnapped more than once, they were tortured,” Amirudin Shari, chief minister of the Malaysian state of Selangor, said during a homecoming ceremony for the flotilla members at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Israeli troops have physically and psychologically tortured past flotilla abductees. Dozens of members of the previous Global Sumud mission required medical attention for broken ribs, noses, and other injuries inflicted by Israeli forces. In 2010, Israeli troops killed nine activists aboard one of the first-ever Gaza flotillas, including Turkish-American teenager Furkan Doğan.

As some countries pursue justice for flotilla members, others have declined to act. In the United Kingdom, Zarah Sultana, who represents Coventry South for the socialist Your Party in Parliament, is demanding “urgent action” in the wake of abuse allegations made by British flotilla abductees.

“France is acting. Spain is showing leadership. Where is the UK government?” Sultana said Friday on X. “Nothing but a simp for Israel, a genocidal apartheid state.”

Article by Brett Wilkins republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).

Continue ReadingFrance Asks Top Prosecutor to Probe Alleged Israeli Abuse of Gaza Flotilla Members

Jeremy Corbyn: Starmer’s Resignation Is Not Enough

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Image of Your Party MP Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labour Party
Image of Your Party MP Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labour Party

https://www.tribunemag.co.uk/2026/05/starmers-resignation-is-not-enough

…

This government chose not to bring in wealth taxes, not to implement rent controls, not to make the kind of public investment in council-housing that is needed to tackle the housing crisis, and chose not to redistribute resources from those who wield it to those who need it. It chose to give a top political job to a man with an established relationship to a convicted sex offender — a man who just so happened to pride himself on his opposition to our mass movement for social justice and peace.

Rather than rewriting the rigged rules of corporate Britain, the government also chose to blame a different group of people for the problems in our society: migrants and refugees. It went after the rights of migrants who have contributed so much to this country and demonised human beings seeking asylum. It mimicked the politics of Reform UK and rolled out the red carpet for Nigel Farage.

There is perhaps one political decision that will leave the greatest stain of all. As Israel embarked on the mass murder of Palestinians in Gaza, this government could have defended international law and called for peace. Yet it chose to facilitate war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. And it chose to launch a systematic assault on the civil liberties of those who protested against the government’s complicity (alongside its outrageous decision to erode jury trials, the cornerstone of our justice system). This government’s enduring legacy will be its complicity and participation in the greatest crime of our age. And we will never, ever forget.

These decisions are the root cause of the chaos that Starmer is now trying to temper — and unless these root causes are addressed, we will continue to lurch from one political crisis to the next. It’s not enough for Starmer to go. What needs booting out is the politics he represents: corporate greed, anti-migrant policies and endless war.

…

I haven’t heard anything from his main contenders about the need to end corporate greed, the need for rent controls, or the need for a mass redistribution of wealth and power. I certainly haven’t heard any calls for an investigation into British complicity in genocide — presumably because that investigation would implicate them as well.

…

Keir Starmer … managed to hide the real record beneath his rhetoric: child poverty, inequality and genocide. Those
 are the government’s big decisions. And that is how this government will be remembered.

…

See the original article at https://www.tribunemag.co.uk/2026/05/starmers-resignation-is-not-enough

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves - the very poorest and most vulnerable.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership is intensely relaxed about assaulting those least able to defend themselves – the very poorest and most vulnerable.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingJeremy Corbyn: Starmer’s Resignation Is Not Enough

Zarah Sultana Exposes ‘Attack on Civil Liberties’ That British Media Can’t Report

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https://novaramedia.com/2026/04/23/zarah-sultana-exposes-attack-on-civil-liberties-that-british-media-cant-report/

Photo: Parliament TV

‘It is frightening, it is dystopian.’

In the Commons last week, Zarah Sultana used parliamentary privilege to expose a court order that restricts reporting on certain aspects of a live criminal case, withholding important information from both jurors and the British public. But neither Novara Media nor any other British media outlet can safely report or play the contents of what she said. 

On Wednesday night’s Novara Live, the Your Party MP joined host Steven Methven to discuss what she described as an “insane” attack “on all of our civil liberties”.

“The fact that only Parliament TV, only Hansard, can report on it tells you what the British state is all about – and it is about curtailing our rights to organise, to resist, to challenge when the state overreaches,” she said. “I think it is scary.”

Parliamentary privilege protects Sultana from prosecution for what she said in the chamber, but breaching the order outside of the House of Commons could be considered contempt of court, carrying a maximum two-year prison sentence. 

“I was surprised to learn that the British media has no absolute right to report on what MPs say in our own parliament,” Methven said on the show. 

“I’m scared that a lot of people don’t even know what’s happening,” Sultana replied. “The fact that American organisations and non-UK organisations are the only ones reporting on this is scary. How do we organise against this? And how do we fight back?”

While he did not reveal the contents of Sultana’s 14 April speech, which can be viewed online in the Parliament TV archive, Methven said that her statement was connected to very general issues relating to jury trials and the government’s current attack on them, as well as counter-terror law.

…

https://novaramedia.com/2026/04/23/zarah-sultana-exposes-attack-on-civil-liberties-that-british-media-cant-report/

Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.

dizzy: It can be found easily at https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Search :Keyword can be left blank, Zarah Sultana MP 14/4/2026 to 14/4/2026

Continue ReadingZarah Sultana Exposes ‘Attack on Civil Liberties’ That British Media Can’t Report