Freedom Flotilla: Participants to Arrive in Tunisia Today
The Global Soumoud Flotilla announced that the arrival of the participants is expected today at 4:00 PM at Tunis-Carthage Airport.
Update on the Detained Participants
The legal collective accompanying the Freedom Flotilla reported that 280 participants appeared before the immigration court of the Israeli state on Friday, with 200 of them unrepresented by lawyers, while the rest were defended by members of the collective. The hearings continued, but at a slow pace due to the religious weekend observed in the occupied entity.
Release of 137 Participants
Meanwhile, 137 participants were released on Saturday, October 4, after signing an accelerated procedure document and refusing to appear before the Israeli judge. The collective emphasized that this signature does not constitute recognition of the legitimacy of the occupation and that each participant was free to choose whether or not to sign. They landed at Istanbul Airport on a Turkish plane.
Participants from the Maghreb Region
Among the released participants are 28 citizens from the Maghreb region, including:
- 10 Tunisians
- 6 Algerians
- 4 Moroccans
- 7 Libyans
- 1 Mauritanian
Their names were communicated by the collective, and information on their return schedules to their respective countries will be provided in the coming hours to prepare popular welcomes worthy of their courage and resistance.
Tunisian Participants
The released Tunisian participants include:
- Deputy Mohamed Ali Mouheddine
- Aziz Meliani
- Noureddine Salouej
- Abdallah Messoudi
- Houcem Eddine Rmadi
- Zied Jaballah
- Hamza Bouzouida
- Actor Mohamed M'Rad
- Anis Abbassi
- Journalist Lotfi Hajji
Like all members of the Flotilla who were arrested, the Tunisian militants observed an unlimited hunger strike from their arrival at the port of Ashdod, before being transferred to the Ketziot prison center.
Denunciation of Arbitrary Detention
In a statement published by the Flotilla, they denounced arbitrary detention and illegal prosecution, stating that their action aims to alert international opinion to the violations of humanitarian law committed by Israel.
Threats and Violence
It is worth noting that the Adalah (Justice) legal organization reported that during the visit of the Israeli Interior Minister to the port of Ashdod, the participants were threatened. In response, they chanted slogans in favor of Palestinian freedom. Tunisian Mehdi Snoussi was violently assaulted by the Israeli police after brandishing a Palestinian flag he had hidden under his clothes. Despite this, his lawyers assure that he remains determined and, through them, has saluted the Tunisian people and all free peoples, calling for continued international pressure for the release of all participants.
The Global Soumoud Flotilla Mission
In total, 42 boats from the historic Global Soumoud Flotilla mission were illegally intercepted between October 1 and 3, as they attempted to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. 462 people were kidnapped in international waters.
