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One
of the 20 women still languishing in an Israeli prison is a 22 year old
US citizen named Shaden Qous. Shaden is studying law at Birzeit
University. She is an artist and a dancer. She was abducted by Israeli
armed forces on January 6 and has been in an Israeli prison ever since. #FreeShaden #FreeThemAll |
Ramallah, Palestine - The father of Palestinian female political prisoner Shaden Qous has unexpectedly passed away in a tragic accident. Shaden, a Jerusalemite, has been held behind bars for just over a month, since 6/1/2025. She was first detained at The Russian Compound detention center (al-Mascobiyeh) where she was interrogated before being transferred to the Damon central women’s prison. She has not yet been charged with any kind of offense under Israel’s oppressive military court system, which is run by occupation soldiers. Shaden is a student at Birzeit University and a professional dancer. https://cda.gov.ps/index.php/en/commission-activities/51-slider-en/19750-occupation-denies-temporary-release-of-palestinian-female-detainee-to-mourn-father-s-death
January 9, 2025
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide.
ARC Condemns the Arbitrary Arrest of Artist and Student Shaden Al-Qous by the Israeli Military in Occupied East Jerusalem
“Shaden is an outspoken artist and activist, known for using her art and her platforms to call for Palestinian freedom and justice,” said Julie Trébault, Executive Director of ARC. “Like her fellow artists and activists protesting the Israeli bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza and the systemic oppression of those in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Shaden has been targeted by yet another wave of mass arrests. Young Palestinians who exercise their inherent right to freedom of expression are routinely targeted by the Israeli military in an attempt to instill fear and silence them. As an Afro-Palestinian artist and aspiring lawyer, her arrest exposes the Israeli authorities clamping down on diverse Palestinian voices, particularly when they challenge preconceived notions and simplistic narratives of identity. ARC strongly condemns the arrest and calls for Shaden’s immediate release.”
Shaden is a 27-year-old dancer with the El Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe,
whose mission is to revive and disseminate Palestinian folk dance and
songs in schools and community centers all over the world. Aside from
traditional Palestinian dabke, Shaden is known for her Afro-Palestinian dance, a unique fusion that merges elements of West African and Levantine folk dance traditions. In February 2024, Shaden was interviewed
on Al-Jazeera’s AJ Stream program, where she spoke about her
Afro-Palestinian community, whose presence in the Old City of Jerusalem
dates back to the British Mandate, and the routine “double-harassment”
it faces at the intersection of Black and Palestinian identities. She
highlighted the impact of Israeli occupation and the effect of social
media censorship by Israeli authorities and social media platforms, with
her arrest showing a clear example of non-violent resistance being
targeted. https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/afro-palestinian-artist-and-activist-arrested-by-israeli-authorities
from @dianabuttu
ReplyDeleteUpdate: Shaden has been released today after an hours long hearing and attempts to keep her in prison. She’s now mourning her father’s tragic death. #FreeThemAll