Activist Thiago Ávila on his way to Brazil, says Freedom Flotilla
Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, 38, who was arrested in Israel while trying to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, is on his way to Brazil, according to the Freedom Flotilla organization. He is due to arrive at Guarulhos Airport on Friday (Jun. 13) at 5:25 am.
Ávila has been on hunger strike for four days in protest against his detention, which he considers a kidnapping as it took place in international waters. The case is treated as a war crime by Brazil’s National Human Rights Council. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry, which is monitoring the case, believes there has been a violation of international law and is calling for his release.
The Brazilian activist was sent to a solitary confinement cell yesterday (11) as punishment for his hunger strike, his lawyers said. His family in Brazil has been unable to him since last Monday, when the group of activists was intercepted by Israeli forces.
Eight of the 12 activists refused to sign a document acknowledging they had committed the crime of trying to enter the country illegally, as the Israeli authorities wanted. This prevented their immediate deportation.
The group agreed that environmentalist Greta Thunberg and three other activists should sign the document so that, when they returned to their countries, they could denounce the situation, the Flotilla reported.
Israel’s siege of the Palestinians
The group of 12 Freedom Flotilla activists tried to land in Gaza last Monday to take food and medicine to the Palestinians, denounce Israel’s siege, and try to open a humanitarian corridor to Gaza.
Around 2 million Palestinians have been living under an Israeli blockade for more than three months, which only allows US-based companies to supply food to the people.
The UN condemns the blockade and warns that 6 thousand trucks with humanitarian aid are at the border with Egypt waiting to enter Gaza.
