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Samidoun

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Samidoun
Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
صامدون
Formation2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Websitesamidoun.net

Samidoun (Arabic: صامدون, romanized: Ṣāmidūn, lit. 'steadfast'), officially Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, is an international advocacy group founded in 2011. It describes itself as "an international network of organizers and activists working to build solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in their struggle for freedom,"[1][2] focusing on raising awareness about detained and imprisoned Palestinians. It has chapters in the United States, Canada, Germany, Britain, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Palestine, and Lebanon.[1] Since the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and ensuing Israel-Hamas war, Samidoun has been a prominent organizer of Palestinian solidarity protests in the U.S. and Canada.[3]

Samidoun has been restricted or designated as a terrorist group by Germany,[4] the Netherlands,[5] Israel,[6] Canada,[2] and the United States.[7] The U.S. Treasury Department characterizes it as "a sham charity that serves as an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization."[8][7][9]

History

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Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Samidoun was founded in 2011 after a hunger strike in Israeli prisons organized by the PFLP.[3]

Samidoun is led by Charlotte Lynn Kates, Dave Diewert and Thomas Gerhard Hofland. Kates is a New Jersey native and Rutgers University graduate, married to Khaled Barakat, who was born near Jerusalem. Barakat is considered to be a PFLP leader by the US government. He was deported from the United States in 2003.[10][11][3] The couple are banned from entering the EU.[12][13] Kates was arrested in April 2024 after she "praised the October 7 attacks and referred to a number of terrorist organizations as heroes" at a demonstration in Vancouver. She travelled to Iran to accept an Islamic Human Rights and Human Dignity Award in August 2024.[14] B'nai Brith Canada is petitioning the Canadian government to deport both Kates and Barakat.[15][16]

In 2021, Israel's Defense Ministry designated the association as a terrorist organization, based on recommendations from the Shin Bet and the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing. The designation alleged that, although its official aim is to assist in securing prisoners' release, it effectively operates as a front for the PFLP abroad.[6]

In November 2023, the association was banned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior of Germany for distributing candy to celebrate the October 7 attacks.[17][4]

In October 2024, the Parliament of the Netherlands voted to designate Samidoun as a terrorist organization.[5]

Meta Platforms and YouTube have blocked certain online platforms of the organization, citing breaches of their community guidelines.[5]

October 2024 Vancouver rally

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Arabic language Samidoun sticker on a pole in Barcelona, Spain

On the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, a speaker at a rally in Vancouver organized by Samidoun identified themselves with Hezbollah and Hamas and called for death to the United States, Canada, and Israel. Participants at the same event were seen burning a Canadian flag.[18] Samidoun confirmed and defended the actions, saying they accurately reflected its goal of "destroying the colonialist, capitalist state of Canada" and stand by the "death to Canada" phrase "as the call to action that it is".[19][20]

On 15 October 2024, in a joint action, the Government of Canada and the U.S. Department of the Treasury declared Samidoun a terrorist entity.[21][22][23][24][8]

National bans and sanctions

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Samidoun is banned or listed as a terrorist group by:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About Samidoun". Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b Staff, Al Jazeera. "US and Canada impose sanctions, blacklist pro-Palestinian group Samidoun". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Carrigg, David (16 October 2024). "Four things to know about Vancouver-based terror group Samidoun". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "HAMAS and Samidoun banned in Germany". Federal Ministry of the Interior. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Dutch Parliament votes to designate Samidoun as terror organization". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Israel designates PFLP international branch as a terrorist organization". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 28 February 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "United States and Canada Target Key International Fundraiser for Foreign Terrorist Organization PFLP". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 20 September 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b "US slaps sanctions on 'sham charity' fundraising for Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine". Voice of America. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Taking Joint Actions Against International PFLP Fundraiser". United States Department of State. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  10. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/18/nyregion/public-lives-law-student-with-a-history-of-taking-left-turns.html
  11. ^ https://nationalpost.com/opinion/terry-glavin-the-curious-case-of-khaled-barakat
  12. ^ https://nationalpost.com/opinion/group-banned-in-germany-gets-carte-blanche-in-canada-to-glorify-hamas-massacre
  13. ^ https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/charlotte-kates-samidoun-iran
  14. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/hate-investigation-demonstration-comments-1.7190914
  15. ^ https://www.bnaibrith.ca/petition-deport-charlotte-kates-and-khaled-barakat/
  16. ^ https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-activist-appears-on-iranian-tv-months-after-rally-arrest-1.7004313
  17. ^ "Germany bans pro-Palestinian group Samidoun". Reuters. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Vancouver Police probe Oct. 7 rally where 'death to Canada' cry went up | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  19. ^ Hopper, Tristin (14 October 2024). "Samidoun doubles down, says 'death to Canada' an accurate summation of its goals". National Post.
  20. ^ https://globalnews.ca/news/10800899/political-party-leaders-condemn-hateful-rhetoric-at-b-c-protest/
  21. ^ https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2024/10/government-of-canada-lists-samidoun-as-a-terrorist-entity.html
  22. ^ https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2646
  23. ^ "Samidoun, group behind 'death to Canada' chant, listed as terrorist entity | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  24. ^ "US, Canada impose sanctions on Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
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