Over 200 celebrities sign global campaign to free Marwan Barghouti

• Over 200 global cultural figures call for the release of Marwan Barghouti.
• Barghouti has been imprisoned in 'Israel' for over 20 years amid allegations of unfair trial.

More than 200 prominent figures from around the world have joined a global campaign calling for the release of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who has been imprisoned in 'Israel' for over two decades.

Described by supporters as “Palestine’s most popular leader,” Barghouti has long been a symbol of unity and a steadfast advocate for freedom and dignity for the Palestinian people. Despite his imprisonment, polls consistently show him as a leading figure in Palestinian politics.

In a public statement, the signatories expressed “grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned.” They urged the United Nations and governments worldwide to intervene, seeking his immediate release.

The campaign invites public figures from music, film, television, literature, visual arts, theatre, sports, journalism, and academia to add their names and support the effort. Organizers emphasize that the initiative relies on global creativity, energy, and activism to succeed.

- A lifetime of political struggle -

For more than 50 years, Marwan Barghouti has been a central political figure in the Palestinian struggle against 'Israel’s' ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands, which the International Court of Justice has ruled unlawful.

On 15 April 2002, 'Israeli' forces, disguised as an ambulance, seized Barghouti in Ramallah, where he was serving as a political leader and elected parliamentarian. He was taken to 'Israel' in a move that violated the Geneva Conventions. His subsequent trial has been widely condemned as illegitimate and politically motivated.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, representing over 181 national parliaments, cited “numerous breaches of international law” in his case and concluded that it was “impossible to say that Mr. Barghouti received a fair trial.”

Even during negotiations that led to the release of hundreds of Palestinian detainees, 'Israel' refused to release Barghouti, citing not his actions, but the hope he represents: for Palestinian unity, democratic renewal, and a credible path toward justice and peace.

- A symbol of resistance -

Barghouti’s imprisonment is emblematic of the plight of Palestinian political prisoners. He is one of more than 10,000 Palestinians held in 'Israeli' prisons, including 350 children. Over a third are administrative detainees, held without charge or trial, a practice rooted in systems established during the British Mandate in 1937.

Barghouti, like many others, has endured solitary confinement, harsh treatment, and severe food deprivation, conditions that have worsened since October 7, 2023. In September, he was reportedly beaten unconscious by eight guards following threats from far-right 'Israeli' minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Since October 2023, nearly 100 Palestinians have died in 'Israeli' custody.

- Global support -

Among the campaign’s high-profile signatories are: Alana Hadid, Angela Davis, Annie Lennox, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brian Cox, Charlie Dance, Cynthia Nixon, Fontaines D.C., Gustaf Skarsgård, Hannah Einbinder, Ilana Glazer, Indya Moore, Javier Bardem, Josh O’Connor, Margaret Atwood, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Sally Rooney, Simon Pegg, Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Jonathan Pryce, Stephen Fry, Sting, Susan Sarandon, Tilda Swinton, and Zawe Ashton.

Supporters say that freeing Marwan Barghouti is not only a step toward justice for one individual but a call to address the broader system of political imprisonment in Palestine.