Brazilian President Lula da Silva has characterized the Israeli judiciary’s decision to extend the detention of Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila as an “unjustifiable action.” Ávila was part of a humanitarian effort attempting to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip when he was intercepted by military forces.
Thiago Ávila and Spanish national Saif Abu Keshk were detained by Israeli forces in the early hours of April 30, along with 173 other crew members from 22 vessels belonging to the “Global Sumud” flotilla.
Taking to social media to express his disapproval, President Lula stated that maintaining the imprisonment of a Brazilian citizen participating in a humanitarian mission causes “great concern and must be condemned by all.” He further described the seizure of activists in international waters as a “serious affront to international law.”
According to reports from The Times of Israel, the Brazilian and Spanish activists are being held in preventive detention under suspicion of links to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA). Israel and the United States classify the PCPA as a terrorist organization acting on behalf of Hamas. Despite these allegations, the Brazilian government, in coordination with Spain, has demanded full safety guarantees and the immediate release of its citizens.
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On Friday, the governments of Brazil and Spain released a joint statement condemning the incident in the “strongest possible terms,” labeling it a “kidnapping in international waters.” The diplomatic note detailed that the vessels were boarded by Israeli forces near Greece and noted that the two men were not released even after other passengers and crew were disembarked on the island of Crete.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that this “flagrantly illegal action” falls outside Israeli jurisdiction and constitutes a violation of international law that could be challenged in international courts.
