2018 Israel: Dareen Tatour
WORLD POETRY DAY 2018: PEN International condemns the ongoing house arrest and prosecution of Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour, who has been charged with incitement to violence and solidarity with acts of violence, following publications of her work on Facebook and YouTube, and in particular her poem entitled, ‘Qawim
ya sha’abi, qawimhum (Resist, my people, resist them)’. PEN has carefully reviewed the charge sheet and the evidence against Tatour, and has concluded that she has been targeted for her poetry and peaceful activism. Consequently, it continues to call for her immediate release and for the charges against her to be dropped.
Oslo, 21st of March 2018
Minister of Justice
Ayelet Shaked
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street Jerusalem, 91010, Israel
Attorney General
Avichai Mendelbilt
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street Jerusalem 91010, Israel
The Office of the Deputy Attorney General (International Law)
Ministry of Justice
Alisa Gannel, Adv.
P. O. B ox 929 9 Tel – Aviv 6 1 092 – Israel
Today, on World Poetry Day, our thoughts are with the ongoing house arrest and prosecution of Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour. Tatour has been charged with incitement to violence and solidarity with acts of violence, following publications of her work on Facebook and YouTube. In a poem, Tatour denounces violations committed by the Israeli authorities against Palestinians, and incites them to resist the Israeli occupation; but she does not call for violence. Peacefully exercising the right to free expression is not a crime.
PEN International has carefully reviewed the charge sheet and the evidence against Tatour, and has concluded that she has been targeted for her poetry and peaceful activism. Consequently, it continues to call for her immediate release and for the charges against her to be dropped.
Together with our PEN colleagues worldwide we call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dareen Tatour from her house arrest.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Øivind Hånes
Writers in Prison Committee
Norwegian PEN
Copy:
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Embassy of Israel in Oslo
