Zakaria Zubeidi, co-founder of The Freedom Theatre who has been incarcerated in Jericho prison by the Palestinian Authority since the 13th of May, has initiated a hunger strike as he is continuing to be denied of his rights as stated in Palestinian law. On July 2nd Zakaria made a statement that was passed on by a recently released prisoner saying that if necessary he will continue the hunger strike until death. Nabil Al-Raee's detention in Israeli prison has once again been extended. While the judge at the latest military court hearing on July 1st very clearly pointed out that Nabil was not suspected of any crime, his detention was still extended for 48 hours and now recently for another 4 days.

See The Freedom Theatre's press relaease

The rumours have been proofed now. According to Kazakh newspaper “Respublika” from June 28, and Goethe Institute Almaty (July 4) Bolat Atabayev has been freed. The journalist and youth organization leader Zhanbolat Mamay who was arrested with him is still in prison.

Atabayev on a press conference after his relaease (language: Russian).

On Friday, 15.06.2012, the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan arrested the well-known director and co-founder of Almaty’s German Theatre Bolat Atabaev together with the leader of the youth organization "Rukh pen til”, Zhanbolat Mamay.

Zakaria Zubeidi, co-founder and avid supporter of The Freedom Theatre, was arrested by Palestinian security forces on the 13th of May and taken to Jericho prison. Since then Zakaria has not been allowed to meet his lawyer Farid Hawash or have any contact with his family.

After spending twelve days in confinement, Zubeidi could return to his family on the 10th of February. He was informed that his amnesty had been reinstated, however it is an amnesty with restrictions...

The Freedom Theatre is a cultural venue in Jenin  Refugee Camp, which uses the arts as a form of resistance against  oppression. In the last weeks Jenin refugee camp has suffered a higher number of arrests than usual. Over thirty arrests have been made in the past month. Among the people arrested were three members of The  Freedom Theatre, a cultural centre for children and youth.

Actors Equity reports on 28 October Marzieh Vafamehr had her sentence reduced to three months and will not receive any form of corporal punishment. As Ms Vafamehr has already served four months in jail she has now been released. More than 9000 people signed Actors Equity’s petition calling for the immediate release of Ms Vafamehr. Read the whole article at The Equity Foundation's website.

You might already have heard about the Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr, who is sentences to jail and 90 lashes for starring in the film My Tehran for Sale.
Here below is a letter from the British Equity and a petition to sign.
I know there more countries have joined this campaign. Please help to protest and spread it around.