Mahmoud Sarsak tour of England, Scotland and Ireland
Mahmoud Sarsak Scottish leg of tour: 1-16 June
Mahmoud Sarsak was a member of the Palestinian national football team who was seized by Israeli troops, interned without charge and tortured over many weeks in Israel's notorious prison system. 
After three years, i.e. six 'democratic and lawful' periods of six months imprisonment without trial or charge, Mahmoud went on hunger strike to demand that he be given prisoner-of-war status since he was being detained under Israel's Unlawful Combatants Law. He refused to accept exile to Norway as a condition for his release and, near death at half his usual body weight, Israel released him unconditionally.
Mahmoud will be hosted at meetings and participate in football events to raise awareness of Israeli's war against Palestinian football, the torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners in Israel's gulag, and the role of multi-national G4S in running parts of Israel's illegal programme. He will be raising the cases of two players of the Palestinian national football team, Omar Abu Rouis and Mohammed Nemer who have been imprisoned for over a year now in Israel's dungeons with out any trial or charges being levelled against them.
What you can do:
- Publicise and help with the meetings already organised
- Help with Arabic <-> English translation
- Help Mahmoud learn some English
Contact Mick 0795 800 2591 / Matt 07919 963 764 / Sarah 07964 581 414
- Mahmoud Sarsak and Jewish comedian Alexei Sayle explain Israel's war on Palestinian football and why the apartheid state needs to be kicked out of European football.
- Guardian, 6 June 2012, "Palestinian footballer's hunger strike sparks fears for his life":
- We demonstrated for Mahmoud Sarsak and all political prisoners at Tynecastle in June 2012
- Eric Cantona, Show Racism the Red Card, and others signed a statement in support of prisiner Sarsak.
- Professional Footballers' Union, FIFPro issued a press release on Mahmoud Sarsak.
Updates here at www.scottishpsc.org.uk on Mahmoud Sarsak's Scottish tour: what follows is subject to change in next few days
Download the tour leaflet/poster
Two-minute video on his torture
Fair CNN report
| Sat June 1 |
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| Sun June 2 | Reception for Mahmoud at Edinburgh's Fatma Restaurant, 6.00pm www.fatma.co.uk pre-notification essential to Waseem 07827 289 323 |
| Tues June 4 | Stop the JNF protest at Cowan's Law - all day |
| Thurs June 6 | Inverness - Spectrum Centre 7.30 (with Highland Palestine Network) |
| Fri June 7 | Aberdeen - Quaker Meeting Hall 7.30pm |
| Sat June 8 | Glasgow - details from Matt 07919 963 764 |
| Mon June 10 | Dundee - Tour and special event at Tannadice Park Dundee Community Centre, Guthrie Street 7.30pm (with Tayside for Justice for Palestine) |
| Tues June 11 | Edinburgh - morning: school visit - evening: Quaker Meeting Hall, Victoria Terr 7.00 for 7.30pm with Tony Higgins of Fifpro, International Footballers Union & Jacky MacNamara Sr., ex-Hibs and Celtic player |
| Wed June 12 |
Stirling - Raploch Community Centre, 7.30pm (with Forth Valley Palestine Group) |
| Thurs June 13 | Falkirk - programme t.b.a. - St Francis Xavier Church Hall 7.00 for 7.30pm |
| Fri June 14 | Glasgow - UNISON Office 14 W Campbell St G2 6RX 12.30pm Fife - Kirkcaldy Islamic Centre 3.30pm (with Fife Arab Society) Kirkcaldy High School for football game 6.00 Informal reception in Kirkcaldy Old Kirk 8.00pm RSVP t0 07760353 918 |
| Sat June 15 | Glasgow - Football match fund-raiser Petershill Sports Complex 1.00pm Mahmoud will play 45 minutes for each side. Preceded at 12noon by a film on Palestine by Football Beyond Borders (FBB) |
| Sun June 16 | Combruith Hostel, Comrie - SPSC residential weekend to participate in discussion on Palestinian prisoners and campaigning |
Sarsak at the Palestine Stadium with a message to UEFA about how much they care about racism in football: {videobox}66776199||width=300,height=225{/videobox}
