A HISTORY OF ATTACKS ON
THE FREEDOM THEATRE
FOR MORE DETAILS ON RECENT ATTACKS AND UPDATES ON MUSTAFA SHETA'S IMPRISONMENT >>
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The timeline below predominantly focuses on attacks that have taken place in Jenin Camp. It does not include travel bans and only cites a few of the cases of censorship that have taken place internationally.
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4TH
APRIL
2011
JULIANO MER KHAMIS MURDERED
ROLE: Co-founder and Artistic Director
DETAILS: Juliano was shot and murdered by an unknown gunman outside of the theatre. Israel took and destroyed all evidence and repeatedly attacked and arrested those at TFT.
APRIL
2011
DEATH THREATS
DETAILS: Unnamed death threats and bullets received at the theatre, stating that anyone who continues work at The Freedom Theatre will be killed.
26TH
APRIL
2011
BILAL AL SAADI IMPRISONED
ROLE: Chair of the Board
DETAILS: Arrested, interrogated and imprisoned for 30 days
READ MORE >>
26TH
APRIL
2011
ADNAN NAGHNIYEH IMPRISONED
ROLE: Head Technician
DETAILS: Early in the morning, roughly 50 masked and heavily armed Israeli Special Forces troops raided the theatre and then arrested Adnan, whose home is part of the building. He was held for thirty days in intense interrogations
READ MORE >>
26TH
APRIL
2011
THEATRE RAIDED AND THE BUILDING DAMAGED
DETAILS: Early in the morning, roughly 50 masked and heavily armed IIsraeli Special Forces troops raided the theatre, throwing stones, smashing windows, and breaking the building. They held night manager and technician Ahmad Nasser Matahen at gunpoint, forcing him to raise his hands above his head and to take down his pants.
READ MORE >>
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6TH
AUGUST
2011
RAMI AWNI HWAYEL IMPRISONED
ROLE: Student of the Acting School 20 years
DETAILS: Taken by the Israeli army at the Shave Shomeron checkpoint, located between the Palestinian cities Jenin and Nablus. Held for roughly a month.
11TH
AUGUST
2011
MOHAMMED NAGHNIYEH IMPRISONED
ROLE: Night guard
DETAILS: The Israeli army again surrounded The Freedom Theatre and the Nagnaghiya family home, arresting Mohammed.
29TH
DECEMBER
2011
ZAKARIA ZUBEIDI'S AMNESTY IS REVOKED
ROLE: Co-founder
DETAILS: Zakaria has his amnesty revoked by Israel
6TH
JUNE
2012
NABIL AL RAEE IMPRISONED
ROLE: Artistic Director
DETAILS: He was taken from his family home at 3:15 in the morning and held for forty days in Israeli prison under administrative detention and given intense interrogations.
4TH
NOVEMBER
2013
FARAS SHARAIDA IMPRISONED
ROLE: Student of Photography
DETAILS: Arrested, interrogated. Release date unknown.
READ MORE >>
JUNE
2014
NABIL AL RAEE DENIED UK VISA
ROLE: Artistic Director
DETAILS: Nabil denied a UK visa to the UK for a two-week talking tour. The justification for the refusal was: “I am not satisfied you are genuinely seeking entry as an entertainer or business visitor and will leave the UK at the end of your trip and do not intend to live for extended periods in the United Kingdom…“,
6TH
JUNE
2015
MUSTAFA SHETA IMPRISONED
ROLE: Secretary of the Board
DETAILS: Taken by the Israeli army and held in Administrative detention for six months.
Upon his release in 2015, he lost his job at the United Nations. However, their loss was The Freedom Theatre’s gain and he became the Producer in 2017.
MAY/
JUNE
2015
UK TOUR UNDER INTENSE LEGAL MEDIA ATTACK
PRODUCTION: The Siege
DETAILS: The UK Tour of the production The Siege came under intense right-wing media attacks and slander.
Whilst unsuccessful, attempts were made to close the production down by claiming it glorified terrorism, a crime with serious consequences if convicted. Protests followed the majority of performances and included protestors calling the police on performers.
SEPTEMBER2015
PERFORMANCES POSTPONED IN NEW YORK
PRODUCTION: The Siege
DETAILS: Performances of The Siege, which were set to open at The Public Theatre in New York, were delayed until the following spring.
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MAY
2015
PERFORMANCES CANCELLED IN NEW YORK
PRODUCTION: The Siege
DETAILS: Performances of The Siege set to open at The Public Theatre cancelled indefinately.
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2017
REMOVAL OF FUNDING
DETAILS: Removal of funding by Norway and Denmark due to BDS connections
SEPTEMBER
2017
AHMED TOBASI DENIED VISA TO USA
DETAILS: Ahmed Tobasi denied a visa to the USA to perform in The Siege.
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2018
PERFORMANCE CENSORED IN EGYPT
SHOW: And Here I Am
DETAILS: And Here I Am censored in Egypt by the regime with parts of the text banned from being performed. The final performance was officially cancelled due to the election.
JANUARY
2019
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PERFORMANCE CANCELLED IN SINGAPORE
DETAILS: And Here I Am was cancelled in Singapore after the InfoComm Media Development Authority (IMDA) refused to give a lisence to perform "IMDA has assessed that the performance includes content which will undermine national interest, and cause feelings of ill-will between different racial or religious groups or cause offence to any race or religious group.”
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FEBRUARY
2019
ZAKARIA ZUBEIDI IMPRISONED
ROLE: Co-founder of The Freedom Theatre
DETAILS: Zakaria Zubeidi was imprisoned by Israeli army and is held until this day.
2021
REMOVAL OF MAJORITY CORE FUNDING
DETAILS: The Freedom Theatre lost 80% of its core funding due to refusing political stipulations that would mean they could not precede with their work and would make hiring and working with a majority of Palestinians in Jenin Camp impossible.
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2021
MUSTAFA SHETA DENIED RIGHT TO TRAVEL
ROLE: Producer
DETAILS: Mustafa denied right to travel out of the West Bank by Israel, a ban which continues to be upheld.
11TH
SEPTEMBER
2022
BILAL AL SAADI IMPRISONED
ROLE: Previous Chair of the Board
DETAILS: Imprisoned and currently detained under administrative detention
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21ST
NOVEMBER
2023
MAHMOUD AL-SADI MURDERED
ROLE: 17 year old youth participant
DETAILS: Mahmoud was shot and killed by the Israeli army on his way to school. We do not believe Mahmoud was killed due to his participation in the theatre.
19TH
JUNE
2023
SADEEL NAGHNIYEH MURDERED
ROLE: 15-year-old youth participant
DETAILS: Sadeel grew up participating in theatre activities and was the niece to our head technician Adnan Torokman. Sadeel was shot in the head with live ammunition by an Israeli soldier inside an armoured military vehicle passing near her house in Jenin around 8 a.m. We do not believe Sadeel was killed due to her participation in the theatre.
29TH
JANUARY
2023
YAHYA ZUBEIDI IMPRISONED
ROLE: Member of The Freedom Theatre General Assembly
DETAILS: Held for seven months under administrative detention until the 7th August 2023
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JULY
2023
ZOE LAFFERTY REFUSED RIGHT TO ENTER PALESTINE
ROLE: Associate Artistic Director
DETAILS: Zoe refused right to enter Palestine a ban that continues to be upheld.
3RD & 4TH
JULY
2023
THEATRE DAMAGED IN BOMBING AND RAID
DETAILS: The courtyard and outside area of theatre was severely damaged. This is where many of the kids gather to play. The ceiling of the theatre has cracks from the impacts of bombing. The level of structural damage is unclear. Cars in the courtyard of The Freedom Theatre were bombed and burnt. Homes were bombed and severely damaged next to the theatre. The Israeli army raided the theatre Guesthouse, shattering windows and putting a hole in the wall for a sniper.
3RD
JULY
2023
ADNAN NAGHNIYEH DETAINED
ROLE: Head Technician
DETAILS: Taken and detained by the Israeli army for four days along with his son.
6TH
SEPTEMBER
2023
THE ISRAELI ARMY USE STAFF AS HUMAN SHIELDS
DETAILS: The Israeli army entered Jenin Camp and arrested Muhammad Naghniyeh, brother of Adnan Naghniyeh, our head technician, and the uncle of 14-year-old Sadeel Naghnaghia, who was murdered in June. The army then occupied the theatre building, using it as a shield against any resistance fighters who attempted to defend and repel Israeli aggression.
19TH
SEPTEMBER
2023
ATTACK DURING PERFORMANCE
DETAILS: The Israeli army attacked Jenin Camp as a performance takes place at the theatre. The electricity was cut and the audience became trapped.
11TH
OCTOBER
2023
PERFORMANCE CANCELLED IN PARIS
DETAILS: Performance of And Here I Am was cancelled by the Mayor of Chosiy Le Roi. Two months later the performance was allowed to take place.
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3RD
NOVEMBER
2023
YAMEN MAHMOUD NABIL JARRAR MURDERED
ROLE: 17 year old youth participant
DETAILS: Yamen was shot and killed by the Israeli army. We do not believe Yamen was killed due to his participation in the theatre.
10TH
NOVEMBER
2023
MOHAMMAD MATAHEN MURDERED
ROLE: Mohammed was one of the young people from the camp who grew up around The Freedom Theatre. Many of our audiences will know him as the one who greeted them at the door when we had shows, helped them find their seats, and managed the overly excited kids.
DETAILS: Mohammad was shot and killed by the Israeli army. We do not believe Yamen was killed due to his participation in the theatre.
3RD
NOVEMBER
2023
JEHAD NAGHIYEH MURDERED
ROLE: 26 year old member of the theatre. Jehad spent his childhood growing up around the theatre and was a youth participant. Jehad was the nephew of our head technician Adnan Torokman.
DETAILS: Jehad was shot and killed by the Israeli army. We do not believe Yamen was killed due to his participation in the theatre.
13TH
DECEMBER
2023
THEATRE RAIDED AND DESTROYED
DETAILS: The Israeli army raided the theatre, destroying the building, smashing all the equipment and destroying the offices. They then used the building as an army barracks.
13TH
DECEMBER
2023
AHMED TOBASI DETAINED
ROLE: Artistic Director
DETAILS: Detained and interrogated by the Israeli army. Released the next day
13TH
DECEMBER
2023
JAMAL ABU JOAS IMPRISONED
ROLE: Recently graduated student and poet
DETAILS: Taken by the Israeli army and imprisoned for eight days without charge.
13TH
DECEMBER
2023
MUSTAFA SHETA IMPRISONED
ROLE: Producer
DETAILS: Taken by the Israeli army and imprisoned under six months of administrative detention without charge or trial. He is currently in prison and we do not know if this sentence will be renewed after six months.