Global campaign launched to free jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti

Known as Palestine’s Nelson Mandela, he has been in prison for more than 23 years and subjected to brutal abuse.Published On 4 Dec 2025An international campaign to free popular Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who has been jailed in Israel since 2002, is gathering pace, with more than 200 A-listers, from Margaret Atwood to Javier Bardem, lending their support.“We express our grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned,” said an open letter published on Wednesday, calling on the United Nations and governments to take action.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Award-winning Palestinian author on Israeli prison, exile and homelandlist 2 of 3Palestinian detainee relays how torture in Israeli prison made him blindlist 3 of 3Israel does not want Marwan Barghouti as “partner for peace”end of listMost of the high-profile cultural signatories were already active in efforts to bring an end to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, but the new letter is part of an international “Free Marwan” campaign launched by Barghouti’s family earlier this week.Barghouti, a senior leader of President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah group, who is viewed by many as Palestine’s Nelson Mandela, is serving five life sentences in Israeli prisons on alleged charges related to attacks during the second Intifada, which lasted from 2000 to 2005.Earlier this year, the 66-year-old, who has been subjected to brutal assaults repeatedly, causing bodily harm while in prison, was taunted in his cell at Ganot Prison in central Israel by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.A video broadcast by Israel’s Channel 12 in August showed Ben-Gvir telling the captive, “You won’t win.” It marked the first sighting of Barghouti in years, with relatives noting his “shocking” appearance caused by “exhaustion and hunger”.In October, Barghouti’s son said his father had been severely beaten by Israeli guards during a prison transfer in September, resulting in four broken ribs and head injuries.