Barghouthi Family Reveals Horrific Torture of Imprisoned Palestinian Leader
New testimonies emerge of brutal abuse inside Israeli prisons as worldwide campaign for Barghouthi’s release accelerates
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The family of imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi has revealed alarming new details of severe torture inflicted on him inside Israeli prisons.
Qassam Barghouthi, the detainee’s son, said a released prisoner informed him on Friday that his father had suffered “shattered bones, broken teeth, broken ribs and fingers, and the loss of part of his ear” due to repeated assaults.
Describing the constant fear his family lives under, Qassam asked: “What do we do? Who do we talk to? Who do we turn to? We live this nightmare every single day.”
International Campaign Expands, Pushing for Barghouthi’s Release
The testimony emerged as a global campaign advocating for Barghouthi’s release gains wider traction. Led by his family and supported by civil society organizations in the United Kingdom, the campaign seeks to elevate his case in political and diplomatic discussions expected to follow the Gaza ceasefire.
A report published in The Guardian by diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour highlighted that over 200 influential cultural figures have signed a letter calling for Barghouthi’s release.
The imprisoned leader is widely regarded as a unifying Palestinian figure capable of leading a renewed national liberation movement.
Prominent Global Figures Demand His Freedom
The signatories include internationally renowned authors, artists, and public personalities such as Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Sir Ian McKellen, and Mark Ruffalo. Music icons Sting, Paul Simon, Brian Eno, and Annie Lennox also joined the call, alongside global artist Ai Weiwei, director Sir Richard Eyre, and billionaire Richard Branson.
According to The Guardian, Israel’s refusal to release Barghouthi appears driven not by security considerations but by concerns over the political influence he may wield over the future of Palestinian leadership and the trajectory of the two-state framework.
Barghouthi’s Long Imprisonment and Enduring Influence
Barghouthi, now 66, has spent 23 years in Israeli detention following a trial widely condemned as unjust and legally flawed. A member of the Palestinian Legislative Council at the time of his arrest, he remains among the most popular Palestinian leaders, consistently leading public opinion polls as the preferred figure to guide the next political era.
Arrested on 15 April 2002 in Ramallah, he was sentenced in 2004 to five life terms plus an additional 40 years.
With mounting testimonies of torture and a rapidly expanding global campaign, attention is now focused on whether the international community will take concrete action to end Barghouthi’s suffering and secure the release of one of the most influential figures in the Palestinian prisoners’ movement. (PW)