Tens held a silent vigil in central London to demand the release of Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, with a focus on those held under administrative detention. The event highlighted the case of Dr Hussam Abu Safia, removed from Kamal Adwan Hospital in December 2024 amid allegations of mistreatment. Human-rights groups Addameer and B'Tselem cited thousands held without trial or on security grounds. Organisers described the gathering as a peaceful launch of a global campaign to press for legal protections and accountability.
Silent London Vigil Demands Release of Palestinian Prisoners, Highlights Case of Dr Hussam Abu Safia
(Al Jazeera)
Tens of people gathered in central London on Saturday for a silent vigil calling for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, with particular emphasis on those detained under Israel's administrative detention system — a policy that allows for renewable, indefinite detention without charge.
Red Ribbons and a Global Campaign
Participants wore red ribbons to symbolise danger and urgency. Organisers said the London action was intended to mark the launch of a broader international campaign to raise awareness of detainees' conditions and press for legal protections and access to justice.
Focus on Dr Hussam Abu Safia
The vigil singled out Dr Hussam Abu Safia, the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, who was removed from the hospital by the Israeli army in December 2024. His lawyer and family members allege he has been beaten, tortured and subjected to degrading treatment in custody, including prolonged solitary confinement — allegations Israeli authorities deny.
“We are clear about this vocabulary – they are hostages, not like any prisoners, and our symbol today is Dr Hussam Abu Safia,” said Adnan Hmidan, chair of the Palestinian Forum in the United Kingdom and the event organiser.
Hmidan described how Dr Safia was taken from the hospital while wearing his white coat, saying some detainees face restricted access to lawyers and no scheduled court dates.
Numbers and Sources
Human-rights groups quoted at the vigil differ slightly in their counts but agree thousands of Palestinians are held in Israeli custody. Addameer, a Palestinian rights group tracking political detainees, reported about 9,300 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons, noting that the majority are held without trial and excluding those in Israeli military camps. Addameer also said at least 3,350 people arrested in the occupied West Bank are classified as administrative detainees.
Israel-based rights group B'Tselem, citing official Israel Prison Service figures, reported roughly 10,900 Palestinians held on "security" grounds as of late 2025, including some 2,931 people from the Gaza Strip.
Calls For Action
Speakers and participants urged governments, policymakers and the public to increase pressure for legal oversight and humane treatment. Eva Nazem, an activist at the vigil, told Al Jazeera the event was meant both to remind people the detainees have not been forgotten and to push authorities who can act but remain silent.
“People who could do something are staying quiet, not doing enough… we just need to keep putting the pressure on,” Nazem said.
Organisers emphasised the vigil was a peaceful, humanitarian act of solidarity rather than a protest march. “There are many ways of lobbying and campaigning. We respect different kinds of protest, but here we have something about humanitarian issues,” Hmidan said, stressing that detainees are people with families and stories.
The London vigil organisers said they hope the campaign will translate into concrete action — improved legal access for detainees, independent investigations into alleged mistreatment and renewed international attention to long-standing detention policies.
