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Global calls to free Palestinian clown held by Israel

Circus performer Mohammed Abu Sakha has been held in administrative detention since December.

The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Mohammed Abu Sakha, pictured in orange before his arrest, has been a performer and trainer with the Palestinian Circus School since 2011. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
By Rich Wiles
Published On 22 Apr 2016

Circus trainer and performer Mohammed Abu Sakha was on his way to work after a short stay with his family in Jenin when he was arrested by Israeli forces at the Zatara checkpoint in southern Nablus.

Soon after his arrest in December 2015, he was sentenced to six months of administrative detention, which allows Israel to hold prisoners indefinitely without charge or trial. More than 600 of the approximately 7,000 Palestinians currently imprisoned by Israel are administrative detainees.

The Palestinian Circus School has worked extensively to publicise Abu Sakha’s case, both nationally and internationally. The story has been incorporated into public performances, while the school’s international network of supporters have staged street performances and demonstrations around the world.

The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Abu Sakha was researching the benefits of circus training for children suffering from learning difficulties, and initiated a weekly programme of classes designed specifically for these students. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
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The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Since Abu Sakha's arrest, performances by the Palestinian Circus School have featured empty chairs, intended to symbolise their imprisoned performer and others being held in Israeli prisons. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Taleen Ayman, 12, is one of Abu Sakha's pupils from nearby Jalazone refugee camp. 'I was so happy studying with him, and miss him so much, which is why I drew a picture of him,' she said. 'We want him back.' [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Nayef Abdullah, the head trainer at the Palestinian Circus School, said Abu Sakha was 'very passionate about training children, and especially children with intellectual difficulties, because he believes in justice and in their right to live like other children'. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Although the Free Abu Sakha campaign is being run in his name, the school has made clear that it is a global call for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
'When he was first arrested it was really hard. I used to be thinking about him all night long,' said Abu Sakha's mother, Raja. 'Even today, I sit all night looking at the laptop, reading things that are being written about him [and following] the big international campaigns that have started because of him.' [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
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The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
'The occupation arrests people so that they scare them and prevent them from being involved in anything politically in the future,' said Abu Sakha's father, Faisal. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Street circus performances in many cities around the world have called for the release of Abu Sakha and other Palestinian political prisoners. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
'We organised this event to raise awareness of the struggle of Palestinian prisoners,' said Hannah Prytherch, who met Abu Sakha while teaching capoeira, a Brazilian martial art infused with dance, in Palestine. She was among the organisers of the Palestinian Prisoners' Parade in London. 'Israel is using imprisonment as a tool of oppression to break apart Palestinian society.' [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
The international Free Abu Sakha campaign has helped to raise the international profile of Palestinian political prisoners. Abu Sakha's parents say that they have taken great strength from hearing about solidarity events around the world. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
The parade in London was held on April 16 to mark Palestinian Prisoners' Day. The event coincided with a mass anti-austerity demonstration in the city. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Last month, Abu Sakha's appeal against his administrative detention was rejected by an Israeli military court. The United Nations has repeatedly called for Israel to end its policy of administrative detention. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]
The Administrative Detention of a Palestinian clown/Please Do Not Use
Other recent high-profile administrative detainees have included Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, who staged a three-month hunger strike against his detention without trial. Qeeq finally ended his hunger strike in February after Israel agreed to release him when his current period of administrative detention ends next month. [Rich Wiles/Al Jazeera]