SERDANG: Nine Malaysians detained by the Israelis while participating in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (FFC-TMTG) mission are expected to be among 95 activists flown to Turkiye on Friday (Oct 10).
Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE) chief executive officer Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar said that it is understood that the flight will carry activists from 22 countries, possibly including the nine Malaysians and six members of the Global Sumud Flotilla (from Norway, Morocco and Spain).
“According to information received from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition command centre in Turkiye, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a flight from Israel is expected to land in Istanbul around 3pm local time, approximately 8pm Malaysian time today.
“We are still waiting for confirmation from Wisma Putra regarding the status of the nine Malaysian activists on board,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.
ALSO READ: Freedom Flotilla: Activists roughed up, physically abused
He was speaking during a press conference on Friday at MyCARE headquarters, providing updates on the situation of the nine Malaysian delegates involved in FFC-TMTG.
Earlier reports stated that the tribunal process involving the nine Malaysians detained by Israeli forces was expected to conclude by Thursday (Oct 9) midnight.
All Malaysian delegates have signed deportation papers, while MyCARE awaits updates from lawyers at The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah) representing them.
All 145 detained activists had been transferred to Ketziot Prison in Negev, Israel. Adalah lawyers have met with some of the Malaysian delegates, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
Kamarul Zaman identified the nine Malaysian representatives as Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali, Dr Fauzian Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi, Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail, Norsham Abu Bakar and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil.
“Alhamdulillah, all Malaysian activists are reported to be in good health.
“We’ve also contacted their families for preparations and plan to send representatives to Istanbul to deliver some clothing, as we were informed that the luggage of the 400 GSF members was scattered, meaning they will arrive in Istanbul with just the clothes on their backs,” he added.
