Nobel Women’s Initiative - Release Mairead Maguire and other human rights activists immediately

Release Mairead Maguire and other human rights activists immediately

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Update: (5 July, 2009) 14 activists, including Mairead Maguire, still being detained. The five Bahraini activists have been freed. Listen to Al Jazeera interview with Maguire.

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On June 29th, Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire and 20 other human rights activists were detained by I sraeli authorities while on the Free Gaza Movement peaceful mission to deliver aid to the people of Gaza . The Nobel Women's Initiative calls on the Israeli government to immediately release all of the nonviolent activists and to ensure that the humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza.

Israeli naval forces forcibly boarded the Free Gaza boat 23 miles off the coast of Gaza. The activists were taken from the boat at gunpoint and held in the Ashdod detention centre. Maguire was handcuffed when she protested at being isolated from the rest of the group, but was soon moved to Giv'on prison, where she and the rest of the group are presently being held. The boat was headed to Gaza, carrying construction materials, three tons of medical supplies, and suitcases full of children's toys, all items banned by the Israeli government.

The armed interception of the Spirit of Humanity , began 'during the night, when the [boat] was in international waters,' said Maguire from her prison cell in Israel. She added, 'We were literally hijacked, taken at gunpoint by the Israeli military... And now we are here in prison, and they are threatening to deport us. We were brought here against our will. We didn’t come here by choice, and we are not here by choice.'

Maguire has also voiced her concern over the five passengers from Bahrain, whose 'government does not have the same links with Israel.'

Two of the 21 activists have been released, while the others await the next steps. It is believed that the individuals will be deported back to their countries.

'The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of Operation Cast Lead,' said Maguire.

'Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone,' she added.