RAMALLAH /PNN /

The international campaign for the release of Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti said that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a petition calling for his immediate release, becoming the first sitting head of state to join the initiative.

Ramaphosa’s signing coincided with South Africa’s Freedom Day, according to a statement issued by the campaign, which noted that the petition is titled “Free Marwan Now.”

The statement cited the petition as saying that Barghouti is “widely regarded as a Palestinian figure comparable to Nelson Mandela, a unifying popular leader committed to the struggle for rights, freedom, democracy and international law.” It added that “it is impossible to say that Mr. Barghouti received a fair trial,” noting that his prolonged imprisonment “has been marked by solitary confinement, torture, threats and denial of communication,” describing it as “a grave injustice and a major obstacle to peace.”

The petition calls for Barghouti’s immediate release. He has been serving multiple life sentences in Israeli prisons since 2002.

The campaign welcomed the South African president’s decision, describing it as a “courageous step” that reflects continued international support for the issue of Palestinian prisoners. It said the campaign, launched in 2013 from the cell of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, has attracted prominent political and human rights figures over the years.

According to the statement, signatories to the petition include Jimmy Carter, Angela Davis and Desmond Tutu, along with more than 350 political, diplomatic, cultural and academic figures worldwide.

The campaign said it has stepped up its efforts since late 2025, intensifying advocacy and pressure at both popular and official levels to push for the release of Barghouti and all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.