Prominent figures worldwide, including Arundhati Roy, call for Shahidul Alam’s release

A dozen prominent figures from around the world, including rights activist Arundhati Roy, have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, who was allegedly detained by Israeli forces while travelling to Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla. The group also demanded the release of 150 humanitarians aboard the “Conscience” and “Thousand Madleens” flotillas, as well as thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. They urged an end to the Israeli occupation and genocide in Palestine. Drik, the independent media organisation founded by Shahidul, published the statement issued by his friends and family at 9am on Thursday. Among the signatories were New Delhi-based writer Arundhati, New York-based scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Cape Town-based playwright Mike...