Marwan Barghouti

Over two hundred prominent cultural figures have joined a global campaign advocating for the release of Palestinian political prisoner Marwan Barghouti, widely regarded as a unifying figure capable of reigniting a viable path to Palestinian statehood. Writers Margaret Atwood, Philip Pullman, Zadie Smith, and Annie Ernaux joined actors Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, and Mark Ruffalo, along with public figures such as Gary Lineker and Richard Branson, in signing an open letter urging Barghouti’s freedom. The statement expresses “grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned,” and calls on governments and the UN to actively work for his release.