(This interview is by Farfahin Kob)

After the racist acts by the Lebanese general security in not responding to the calls of the human rights activists to release the 17 Sudanese detained arbitrarily and the several calls by Dr. Abed el Meneem to the Sudanese embassy to take action in front of the Lebanese authorities he decided 7 days ago to start a hunger strike demanding:

1 – The release of the 17 Sudanese detained arbitrarily in the Lebanese prisons
2 – The re-election of the Sudanese cultural club in Beirut that can influence the embassy to take action to release the detained.
3 – The Embassy taking action immediately to release the detained Sudanese.

It’s been 8 days by now and none of the Lebanese or Sudanese authorities took action so the Dr stops his hunger and water strike, his health condition Is very bad and he is risking death in the next few days since he is at 54 already and extremely weak.
Human rights activists organized few actions in solidarity with Dr Abed and started a sit-in, a candle light vigil, a petition signing, postering the city, a media campaign and soon they will start a hunger strike.

For our surprise the police came tonight to take Dr Abed into captivity because he ison a hunger strike!
Activists immediately gathered and stopped them from taking him out, but the police forces told him that on Monday he has to come to the police station or they will come and take him by force, the thing that is very dangerous regarding his current health condition and the weird thing is that they already did take him to the police station on his 1st day of hunger strike!!!!

Activists will gather tomorrow and have a strategy meeting to decide on the next steps to take this further in order to free the 17 detained Sudanese.  Activists will sleep at Dr Abed strike place to protect him and others are staying in solidarity.