Hello Mustafa! How are you my friend? A few days ago we saw the crescent. Abu Hilal, Ramadan Kareem, my friend. Reassure us that you are alright? What was your Iftar today? Did you see Salma's shadow playing around you and did your eyes fill with passion for her spontaneous movements? Did Adam make you angry today? Did you try to trick him and get on his nerves? Did you think about us today, to ask what our Iftar will be? After 100 days of your absence, from administrative detention, from the black prison, from the desolate darkness, from fake companionship to waste time, from the pain of the place and the memories of your presence, from our problems and laughter, from our gatherings and gossip… We miss you Abu Hilal. Everything is dismal without you. We are detained without you, intellectually, psychologically and spiritually, as if your imprisonment was collective punishment against you and us. My dear friend, my favourite manager, we are waiting in your absence, torn by your departure, we are awash with every flood that happens. Ranin Odeh

Dear Mustafa, Hope you are well. I feel sad whenever I think of you and tears fill my eyes. I selfishly try not to think of you for too long, there’s a lot of work to be done and we have to stay strong. I know you are strong and you’ve been in Israeli jails before and you always shrugged your shoulders like it’s part of the parcel of living under occupation, but this time it’s different. I heard of the horror Jamal witnessed and experienced and countless testimonies coming out from people from across Palestine who’d been released from jail in the last 7 months. Of course we fear for your safety as we keep hearing of more people becoming shaheed in jails. May Allah protect you and all the prisoners. I hope they are giving you more than a piece of cold hard bread to eat, I hope you’re being given enough water, not hard metal to sleep on and praying they are not torturing you. May Allah keep your spirit strong all these months later. Hope you feel your children’s love holding you. I saw Jamal in Amman in January when they released him, he said he would have stayed in jail if it meant being with you in solidarity. He’s been upset they still have you inside even though they released him and Tobasi. You are loved and missed by all of us Mustafa. I started writing to you before Eid to wish you Eid Mubarak. Yesterday was Palestinian Prisoners Day, of course you were on our minds as you have been for months. You are in my duaas as I’d promised you months ago. I think about the conversations we had about hunger strikers in Israeli jails, how you’d say “it had to be everyone doing it together for it to be more effective, not just 1 person.” Hope you’re managing to have the conversations you’ve been waiting to have with people in jail now that Allah put you there again. I know you were never oblivious this could have happened to you again. I know you are strength for your people inside. Hope they are allowing you to write at least and you’re getting to express yourself. Would have tried to get books sent to you like you would for Zakaria, everything’s changed now. I try to support documenting and spreading the news further of what’s happening in both Jenin and Gaza and share with whoever is still listening. You would share videos I sent to you speaking at protests about Jenin and thank me for keeping people updated about the occupation's abuse in your city, now you nightmarishly ended up the news. We’re still protesting outside the Elbit drone factory in Leicester trying to shut it down. British police are as pathetic as they’ve always been, they keep letting workers in to keep manufacturing drones to murder your people.I hope you’ve seen people you haven’t seen in years in jail and being around them again is giving you strength or at least having the odd laugh though the conditions are miserable. Hope the people in your cell are good vibes. Hope you’ve seen at least one of the Zubeidi brothers. How many more will the Israelis steal with bullets and handcuffs from Jenin’s streets? I know Ranin and Momin are looking after your children and keeping them busy. May Allah keep their spirit strong through the theatre family you put your soul into.It’s really frustrating even though genocide has continued for 7 months. You are in my thoughts alot. Zoe gave me a badge to wear to ask for your freedom, it sits sad but proud on the collar of my jacket. People scan your name and your face when I’m sat on the London Underground train or walking on the streets in Leicester. I wish this letter actually reached you and there was a HMP address to send this to. It would feel more authentic to write directly to you but inshallah you get to read this one day very soon. For Palestinian Prisoners Day, I shared the video we filmed in Jenin about the 6 men who broke out of jail you liked and shared on the theatres YouTube etc. You not only empowered the youth in your community, you empowered US too, us international youth who came to support the theatre and your community. You encouraged me whenever I was around you which always meant a lot even though you always had 20 things on your plate and were hesitant to being disrupted every time I’d approach you with a new idea in your office. I will never forget the sincerity you showed me and for being the person to pick me up and drop me to the bus station and wave me off when I left Jenin, tears streaming when the doors closed cause anything could happen to any of you who’d become my family. I hope you are out on the streets to come pick me up when I next come to your hometown. It will not be the same without you. I swear I will not annoy you to ask you to stop for the toilet on the drive back from Ramallah, impossible cause of settlers on the road, or whinge cause I'm hungry. We will eat falafel again from Huwara inshallah soon. Inshallah you’re getting decent sleep. Miss you يا معلم Everyone I speak to from the theatre misses you and says it's not been the same since they took you. Inshallah you are home to your loved ones soon and opening up the theatre doors again with the beautiful blue artwork of Juliano behind you. May Allah protect you and may you be home back to your Jenin, your family and the theatre soon. Inshallah we will celebrate your release soon. Much love and strength from your sis Shareefa Shareefa Energy

Dear Mustafa, I am in London, while you are in prison - without charge or trial. I am able to make theatre, while you are in prison - without charge or trial. I am able to be with my family, while you are in prison - without charge or trial. I am able to live freely, while you are in prison - without charge or trial. I am able to write to you, though you will never get this note, as you are in prison - without charge or trial. I am unable to understand how this is allowed to happen Unable to understand how Palestinians are regularly subjected to the violence of the illegal Israeli occupation, to an ongoing genocide while the world’s leaders do nothing. We will not forget you, we will keep campaigning, shouting for your release, while you are in prison. And when you are released from Prison, able to make theatre, be with your family and live freely we will rejoice with you. Until then we shout. In solidarity Hannah Khalil

Dear Mustafa, Equity’s International Committee for Artists’ Freedom is deeply concerned to learn of your continued ‘administrative detention’ in Megiddo prison, which began four months exactly from the date of this letter, despite no evidence being presented of any wrongdoing. As members of the UK’s largest trade union for the performing arts and entertainment industry, we have long admired and supported your excellent work at Freedom Theatre, which is a beacon of hope among the Jenin Refugee Camp and demonstrates the important power of art to challenge oppression and heal the wounds of conflict. We stand against the criminalisation and imprisonment of artists in Palestine and everywhere, and offer you our unwavering solidarity. We urgently call for your release from detention, so that the important work of Freedom Theatre may continue unimpeded. We will continue to monitor your situation closely and send all our wishes for your prompt release. In solidarity, International Committee for Artists’ Freedom, Equity

Dear Mustafa, I hope this letter reaches you and finds you holding onto hope and resilience amidst these challenging times. I wanted to reach out to express my solidarity and support for you, especially considering the unjust circumstances of your detainment by the Israeli army on December 13th, 2023. It's truly distressing to hear that you've been held without trial or charges, and the fact that contact with you has been severely restricted is deeply concerning. It must be incredibly difficult to endure such isolation, and I can only imagine how tough it must be for you and your loved ones. Your work as the producer of the Freedom Theatre has undoubtedly touched many lives, including mine. Your dedication to using art and theatre as instruments for social change and liberation is both admirable and inspiring. Your commitment to amplifying marginalised voices and advocating for justice is a testament to your strength and courage. I want you to know that you're not alone in this struggle. Many of us stand in solidarity with you, amplifying your voice and demanding accountability for the injustices you've faced. We'll continue to raise awareness about your situation and fight for your freedom until justice is served. As you navigate through these challenging times, please remember that there are people who care about you and are rooting for your well-being. Your resilience in the face of adversity is a source of inspiration for us all, and I hope that you find moments of strength and comfort amidst this ordeal. Sending you solidarity, strength, and heartfelt wishes for your swift release, Aisha Zia

Dear Mustafa, I am just one of so many who believe it is wrong for you to be detained without charge or trial, that the violence against other theatre company members is wrong, that the Occupation of Gaza and the West Bank are wrong, that the ongoing violence against the people, animals, vegetation, land, water, and air of Palestine is wrong. Thank you for keeping the arts alive for young people through your work and thank you for your spirit. May you be free of suffering, may you be free. Sincerely, Noa Graham

Kjære Mustafa, Du vet ikke hvem jeg er, men jeg husker at jeg så ditt snille ansikt på en zoom samtale, ikke så lang tid før du ble arrestert. Jeg husker at du fortalte et teater fylt med mennesker i Oslo, Norge, om hvordan situasjonen for The Freedom Theatre i Jenin var. Jeg husker at jeg følte meg så ukomfortabel på dine vegne. At du var der, og likevel klarte å være så varm, vennlig og generøs med din tid for oss. Jeg lurer på hvordan du har det nå. Om du fremdeles klarer å være ditt varme, vennlige selv, eller om omstendighetene gjør dette umulig. Jeg vil at du skal vite at du gjorde et varig inntrykk på oss. Gjennom en zoom samtale så gjorde du og ditt gode vesen er dypt inntrykk på mennesker på andre siden av verden. Energien din er mektig, spesiell og viktig. Vær så snill å ta vare på den. Jeg ber til Gud om din løslatelse. Vennlig hilsen, Hanna Ocide Kidula Dear Mustafa You don’t know who I am, but I remember seeing your kind face on a zoom call shortly before you were detained. You were telling a theatre full of people in Oslo, Norway about how the situation The Freedom Theatre In Jenin was. I remember feeling so uncomfortable for you. Being there. Yet still being so warm and friendly and generous with your time for us. I’m wondering how you are doing. If you are still able to be your friendly and warm self, or if the circumstances are making it impossible. I want you to know that you made a lasting impression on us, through a zoom call, you and your kind presence made a profound impression on people on the other side of the World. Your energy is powerful, special and needed. Please take care of it. I pray for your release. Best greetings, Hanna Ocide Kidula

Αγαπητέ Mustafa, Ελπίζουμε πραγματικά αυτό το μήνυμα κάποια στιγμή να έχεις την δυνατότητα να το διαβάσεις, μαζί με τα άλλα πολλά γράμματα συνανθρώπων από όλον τον κόσμο που παρακολουθούν τα όσα διαδραματίζονται στη Δυτική Όχθη και στη Γάζα. Η περίπτωσή σου, η άδικη φυλακισή σου χωρίς να υπάρχουν κατηγορίες και δίκη είναι ένα από τα άπειρα παραδείγματα του πόσο παράλογος και άδικος είναι ο κόσμος που ζούμε. Η απουσία της δικής σου ελευθερία και της χώρας σας έχει επηρεάσει άμεσα και μας έχει στιγματίσει. Δεν θέλουμε άνθρωποι σαν και έσενα να γίνουν άλλη μια ανάμνηση, ευχόμαστε να γυρίσεις σπίτι σου, ελεύθερος σε μια ελεύθερη χώρα. Έχει περάσει μισός χρόνος και πραγματικά ούτε μπορούμε να φανταστούμε τον πόνο και τα συναισθήματα σου σε αυτές τις δύσκολες καταστάσεις. Το έργο σας στο Freedom Theatre δεν έχει δώσει ελπίδα μόνο στα παιδιά της Δυτικής Όχθης, αλλά έχει δώσει ελπίδα και δύναμη σε όλους εμάς.Μας έχετε δώσει το πιο σημαντικό και το πιο μεγάλο μάθημα ζωής. Δεν θα σταματήσουμε να μιλάμε ΠΟΤΕ για το έργο σας και για την Παλαιστίνη! Ελπίζουμε να γυρίσεις σύντομα, λευτεριά στον Mustafa και λευτεριά στην Παλαιστίνη! Stella Kakanou Dear Mustafa, We sincerely hope this message gets to you in the future so you will be able to read it, along with the rest letters from people from all over the world, who are watching what is happening in the West Bank and in Gaza. Your case, your unfair imprisonment, without a prior trial or charges, is one of the million examples that reminds us how irrational and how unfair the world we live in is. The absence of your and your country's freedom has affected all of us and has left us scarred. We don't want people like you to become a memory, we hope you return home, free and in a free country. Half year has passed and really we can't even imagine your feelings and your pain through these tough circumstances. Your work at The Freedom Theatre has not only given hope to the children and people of the West Bank, but has also given hope and strength to all of us. You have given us the most important life lesson. We will NEVER stop talking about your work and about Palestine. We hope you return soon, Free Mustafa and Free Palestine!" My warmest regards, Stella Kakanou

Dear Mustafa, I am a writer, performer, improviser and theatre director in Cape Town, South Africa. I have just come home from a Concert for Palestine where we performed an excerpt of our piece Shakespeare to Gaza, and we shared the stage with Palestinian artists, South African musicians, singers, poets and dancers whose work all spoke about and for Palestine. I was so struck by how united we were – audience, performers, organisers, ushers, parking attendant volunteers. We performed with our hearts on our sleeves, our hands on our hearts and our minds on Gaza and all of Palestine. We held your our thoughts, Mustafa, and the brilliant work you do, especially with young hearts and minds. It makes total sense that you have been arrested. Art, especially theatre, is powerful and speaks the truth. It is also insane and unfair that your passion should be what makes you a threat. Mustafa, we are united in our call for your release. We are united in the chant From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free. We wait for the day that we can co create stories that celebrate life, not mourn for the constant death and destruction you face. Know this. We make theatre, music, dance in your name. In Solidarity, Megan Choritz

Dear Mustafa, We demand your release and will not stop until you are back home with your family. It’s been 332 days since you drove us to the Feminist Festival at The Freedom Theatre in Jenin. It’s been 244 days since the news of your arrest by the IOF. You have not left our minds and hearts since. You represent Jenin and its people in their truest form. You spoke to us of the love you have for your community and how simple things like sitting together in a cafe and catching up were some of your favorite moments. You spoke of the importance of sharing your vulnerability as a Palestinian artist, activist, father, husband, citizen in an effort to keep up the strength and resilience required for life under occupation. During our time in Jenin Camp, we experienced an invasion by the Israeli army at the theatre festival and your determination to keep everyone safe displayed the courage and love it takes to keep a community together in times of crisis. When we returned to the US on October 6 and then later heard of your captivity, it was a punch to the gut. It seems just moments ago we watched you get pulled up on stage to chop onions while the audience, full of people who love you, laughed in delight at what a good sport you were. You were truly the heroic host, maintaining calm in the eye of the storm, tending to the theatre community with strength and grace. Your passion for the theatre is something we carry within us, you sent a message through Jamal saying “Let’s make a theatre in the prison and we can work from here” and this is who you truly are. Your cultural resistance and your commitment to a Free Palestine is what makes you special to all of us. You are an inspiration not only to those that know you but to the world. And the world is watching. The world is with you. ]So we will follow suit. We will not lose hope. We will tend to the fires of revolutionary artistic expression. We will create and build and fight in your honor. And when you are free, we will come to celebrate your liberation. Stay strong, dear friend. Al Límite Collective

Dear Mustafa! We are thinking of you! We hope you are well despite all. It is our deepest wish that you should be set free and that you could return to your people to help the struggle for a good life for the people of Palestine and the people of Jenin in particular. I am a theatre director of Grenland Friteater from Norway. I am writing you on behalf of myself and all of my collegues. We look forward to meeting you in freedom as soon as possible! We send our warmest embrace, Tor Arne Ursin

My Dearest Mustafa, Today is your 115th day in prison. And the 182nd of war. Will you have lost track of time? With just a neon light on the ceiling, and a cell with no window? But after all, not an hour has passed since you were dragged away. Everything is stuck. It's all one long night. Raids, round-ups, airstrikes. Tanks and bulldozers. With October 7th the only difference is that before, at the same time you also had clashes in Nablus, in Hebron, throughout the West Bank: now Jenin is under attack, and in the meantime the IDF is bombing Gaza, Lebanon, Syria. A missile is raining down from the Red Sea. You walk, and suddenly, round the corner, a drone hits a car. How did we get to all this? Netanyahu is still there. He swears he will catch Sinwar. Mahmoud Abbas too is still there. Since October 7th, he has never spoken. Never. Not even once. Nor has the famous national unity government that everyone promises been formed. I am in the Khalil Suleiman Hospital in Jenin these days. In the ER. And it's non-stop. With each new wounded, each new dead, I look at all these kids who come here to see, identical to their older brothers, the same hoodies, the same Blundstones boots, unmistakable, as if waiting for their turn. They watch, in silence, and more than watching, they take in, they take all in - and I think: what are they thinking? how will they cope with all this? what scars will they forever bear? One day we will be characters in the survivors' novels, in their plays, in their songs. What miserable characters we will be. I have never been so ashamed of being a Western journalist. Maybe it's better that you were arrested. A much loved Italian priest, who lived among the poor, Don Milani, used to say: If you are still alive and graded, it means that you have never opposed anything and anyone. You are in prison because you are free. Francesca Borri

Dear Mustafa, We are a group of writers, theatre makers and creatives from the UK and we have gathered to write this letter of encouragement and solidarity to you. We have been trying to imagine your daily reality, the price you have paid to create theatre in Jenin, to run workshops for the young people, to foster creativity and stories and to preserve your culture and the incredible legacy of The Freedom Theatre. To commit to play even in the face of deep and ongoing trauma, and the unfathomable losses of your friends, family, creative comrades, the theatre itself, and of course your freedom. And we have found it hard to even articulate what it would feel like if even one part of this happened to us. But we are watching. The world is watching. We continue to bear witness and to remind the world of you and all you have built. We want you to know that we will never tire in our solidarity and we hope you never tire either, despite it all. We also acknowledge the deep injustice of you being targeted because of the theatre you are making, but that you are also a human firstly and foremostly, a father, a friend, and no one should be detained under these circumstances, that you should in this moment be free, to be with your family and friends, and to do as you like with every moment of your righteous freedom. We have heard that you have said that if need be you will start a theatre company in the very place you find yourself now. We are in awe of your resilience and resistance, the powerful, vital work of Freedom Theatre that has shown the world the reality of the Palestinian experience. With every attempt to destroy the soul of Freedom Theatre and every member of it, your spirit and determination is incredible. It galvanises us to keep going on your behalf too, and more importantly, it has proven so powerful that those in power are scared of you. You are a shining example of the power of storytelling. Look at how cowardly our governments have become in the face of the true stories emerging from Palestine. When people speak the Truth, we can strike fear into the most powerful. Indeed, stories can make regimes tremble and even overthrow them. We are not naive to our government’s complicity in the horrors you and your people have endured. We know the role that our leaders have played in you being detained and we are painfully aware of the unforgivable legacy of colonisation that shaped the conditions for the genocide we are witnessing today. We see this. We see you. And we know what is happening. But also please know that none of these governments, complicit in these horrors, represent the people. Because of the information we are getting from the Palestinian people who are risking everything daily to bring us the Truth, we are learning so much, and the rise in awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people is changing the world. There is an awakening that is happening thanks to the incredible spirit of Palestine. Palestinian voices have been shouting their story for decades now. We want you to know that we are listening. The tide is changing. The power of the narrative being led by those experiencing it first hand has changed our understanding of the very world we live in. Stories have power, as storytellers we understand this power. To silence a voice, a creative spirit, you are in fact killing your own spirit. In the words of the native people of other lands, there is an epidemic of ‘Soul Loss’ sweeping the world. And we have seen many times in history how artists and creatives have been imprisoned by oppressive regimes. You, Mustafa, are part of this long legacy and we want to reassure and remind you that these people are always vindicated. Your name is woven into a tapestry of revolutionaries that the future will look to for inspiration. The work you do has a regenerative force and it continues to grow. Here in the UK there have been several readings of Freedom Theatre’s work and there are more to come. Freedom Theatre was founded in 2006. We can’t wait to see what work you will be making in 2066! The work that you do with the young people in Jenin Refugee camp and beyond is essential. They are the future and we look forward to seeing you and them in the UK very soon. The great Juliano Mer Khamis made it clear that the work Freedom Theatre does is an integral part of the Palestinian resistance. He also stated that “The third Intifada will be a cultural one.” And so, in the words of the great Toni Morrison:“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language, that is how civilizations heal.” None of us are free until Palestine is free. In solidarity, Nina Millns, Amber Lone, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Suhayla El-Bushra, Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Waleed Akhtar,تغريد شقير بيثوسو, Zainab Hassan, Jo Tyabji, Giovanni Bienne, Annie Siddons, Roann Hassani McCloskey, Lucy Sheen - 周麗端, Laila Alj, Laura Hanna, Micaela Miranda, Fionn O’ Loingsigh, Sorcha Fionntain, Róisín O’ Loughlin, Elina Akhmetova,Siân Robins-Grace, Hazel Holder, Tam Dean Burn, Aisling Gallagher, Lanna Joffrey, Lucy Morrison, Ché Walker, Sally Abbott, James Harker, Chloe Massey, Riya Rajeev, Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi, Isa Shaw-Abulafia, Lara Sawalha, Omar Bynon, Saffiya Ingar, Aisha Zia, Juliet Stevenson, S Faress, Ruth Lass, Marcus Berdaut, Davina Shah, Nafeesah Butt, Joel Samuels, Sam Swann, Alexandra Lort Phillips, Rabiah Hussain, Sonali Bhattacharyya, Sukey Venables Fisher, Maatin, Bec Boey, Riffy Ahmed, Daniel York Loh, Leo Kay, سعيد تاجي الفاروقي, Martha Nabila, Fiona Whitelaw, Maureen Beattie, Anna Carteret, Chipo Chung, Karen Lewis, Pete Yeldin, Abi Zakarian, Sampira Al-Fihri, Simon Pascoe, Julia (Jools) Voce, Naylah Ahmed, Leila Greci, Thorston Mandalay, Nadia Abdo, Marcus Berdaut, Thembi Mutch, Pooja Ghai, Karin Galdames, Zia Ahmed, Khadija Raza, Rosa Maggiora, Kirsty Housley, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, Mojisola Adebayo

Dear Mustafa, We are BEATS (British East and South East Asian Theatre and Screen). We wish you a belated Eid Mubarak and hope that you are well. It’s been nearly 6 months since your unlawful imprisonment by the Israeli government. That’s half a year that could’ve most importantly been spent with your family, your loved ones and friends. ​​Half a year of repressive regimes attempting to silence the voices of Palestine that you, Zakaria and your team have brought to life through spoken word and stage, continuing the legacy of Arna and Juliano. The Freedom Theatre thrives on, across the world with theatre houses and a countless amount of productions and workshops highlighting Palestinian artists, determining to be heard and seen. They would make you proud. Their works are powerful, raw and beautiful, leaving their audiences moved and growing by tenfold. Despite attempts to cut off Palestinian led events and protests, the world refuses to back down. Media outlets led by authorities constantly belittle and try to silence those fighting against the genocide. War machine factories in the U.K. allow workers to slither through the frontlines of anti-genocide protests, major peaceful demonstrations are deliberately reported smaller than they are in numbers (one march in London with a 750,000 attendance rate was reported as a 350,000 ‘hate march’ on national news). Our governments try in vain to suppress the opinions of marginalised groups who speak out against the genocide in Palestine. Recently an American Asian actor lost their job in a theatre production, just because they were wearing a Keffiyeh. A well known theatre house in London was reported to mainstream press because one of their artists and audience spoke out in support of Palestine. This is only the tip of the iceberg but every move made to silence these artists have been met with resistance. Over seventy works from artists were withdrawn from a Manchester art venue after it canceled an event for Palestinian poetry and stories. The backlash from both artists and venue subscribers was overwhelming, showing solidarity for Palestine. What authorities don’t realise is that unlike before, the world is more than capable to collaborate and understand what’s going on beyond commercialised smokescreens- especially societies with a history of facing discrimination. We see right through the bullshit. We empathise, we feel and we know. And that is because of companies like The Freedom Theatre. We know that everyday you spend unjustly imprisoned you witness many more stories around you that you wish were not true. We hope that one day you can share them, to remind us of the injustice. Of the brutality against humanity. Of the imbalance of power, utilising racism and wealth from clueless rich nations to dehumanise non White lives. To remind us and future generations this should have never happened nor ever again. We know that you already do, but please stay strong, Mustafa. And we hope to hear from you again soon, inshallah. From all of us at BEATS Lucy Sheen - 周麗端 actor, writer Joy Muhammad Arrow - writer, activist

Dear Mustafa, It has been 151 days and every day I hope: May you not be in isolation. May the room where you are being caged not be too cold: May the air conditioning that they turn up in extreme cold not function. May the light they keep on 24 hours a day for you to lose the sense of time, fail at night, so you can sleep and recover. May they feed you and provide water. May you have at least a blanket to cover you. May you have clothes. May you stay healthy despite the malnutrition, the lack of light, movement, the thirst, the isolation. May they forget you are there, when they come to torture you, beat you, try to scare you. May their voices break when they scream at you. May their punches weaken, when they come at you. May there be medical care if you need it - although we know that there isn’t. May you not believe them when they tell you anything about your family or anyone you know, they lie to torture you - just don’t believe anything. May the zip tie not be too tight when they tie your hands and feet May your blood still flow, and your heart beat strong. May we all learn from you about what freedom actually is. May you see many that you know, and if you see Zakaria take some from his courage and patience. May your smile visit you both and remind you of who you are and that you were born to be free. May your thoughts take you to the future where you tell the story of how you survived all of this. May your breath a sigh of relief knowing that your family is safe and taken care of. That we are here letting the world know about you and the 9500 other kidnapped prisoners, 3659 like you in administrative detention, 200 of them children and 60 women. May we all learn from you about what freedom actually is. Micaela Miranda

Dear Mustafa, “Are you ok??” This short message to you, from Oslo to Jenin, 13th of December 2023, is still left unanswered. I lost count of how many times I sent you this question during the past years. Your answer usually came within minutes; either just a heart, or “Yes, ok”, or the longer version, “Thank you, don’t worry, we are ok”. But we both know that you are not “ok”. Nothing in Palestine is “ok” and haven’t been so for the past 76 years. And I do worry, as I obviously should. When I received the news of the arrests of you, Ahmed and Jamal, I jumped into full panic- and fight-mode. The feeling of not being able to help you was beyond devastating, as it still is. Now, six months later, you are still in prison. Without charges, trial or conviction. And my simple question to you is still left unanswered. Last time I visited The Freedom Theatre, we made a video. Among other things, you talked about the last time you were imprisoned, in 2016: “It was a learning experience for me. I don’t like to return to there, it’s not good to be in there, but at least I know how it is,” you said. And now you have to experience it again. Dear Mustafa; we are together in this, we are in the same struggle for freedom and equal rights for all. For our soul, for our humanity, for art. It is absurd that you are imprisoned for this struggle. You are part of my extended family on this planet, you are one of those people who makes sense in the middle of senselessness. I am so proud and grateful to know you. And I cannot wait until the day we finally can celebrate your release! In it together, always and forever. With love, light, respect, and solidarity from Norway to Palestine, Vibeke Harper

Dear Mustafa, Kakilang stands with The Freedom Theatre in Palestine, and demands the immediate release of you, General Manager, Mustafa Sheta, from unlawful detention in Meggido prison. You were arrested at gunpoint and detained without charge, denied all contact with the outside world, and after six months continues to be unlawfully detained. We continue to call for your unconditional release, for the respect of fundamental human rights, and the end of the criminalisation and imprisonment of artists. If you were at liberty to travel now we would have very much welcomed you to our current production The Dao of Unrepresentative British Chinese Experience (Butterfly Dream) which plays at Soho Theatre, London in June/July. It’s a psychedelic punk rock riff on what path you choose, which identity politics you embrace or whether it’s easier to be a butterfly dreaming of being ‘Chinese’. We have a fantastic team working on it and I’m sure you’d have enjoyed it immensely. We would also have very much invited to give a workshop in one of our Creative Lab skills sharing sessions. Kakilang (自己人), means ‘one of us’ or ‘on our side’ in the Hokkien dialect. Mustafa, know that we are on your side and you are one of us, truly. Kakilang

I had the privilege of visiting Palestine in 1987. We landed the day the Intifada broke. I was there working, researching with a UK theatre company who had commissioned the Egyptian writer Karim Alrawi, then resident in the UK, to write a new play about the Palestinian Israeli conflict. I have never forgotten the people, the sights and the sounds. The aroma of the food and the generosity of the Palestinian people. That the atrocities, the systematic, violent and brutal erasure of the Palestinian people continues, is a constant pain in my heart. There is so little that I am able to do in the face of such horror. But writing this letter to you, showing my support and solidarity is one the things that I am able to do, and to let you know that you are not forgotten. I hope that you are managing and coping as best you can whilst you are being held. Know that so many across the globe are thinking of you. So many are taking to the streets in protests supporting the Palestinian people, in spite of what their local or national governments say. The world desperately needs artists and human beings such as yourself, now more than ever. It is my deepest hope that you will be released. That the People of Palestine will find freedom and peace. With respect and love, Lucy Chau Lai-Tuen Sheen

I am Jewish. I am a mother. I have been screaming and crying about this genocide since October, and struggling for a Free Palestine since I was 13 and learned what Zionism is. I have learned about you and your work. I am thinking of you. I am crying, as I do each day, because I feel helpless. I am hoping and praying for an end to this genocide, this occupation, this nightmare. I hope you know that the world is watching, marching, occupying, screaming, writing, praying, protesting. Our leaders - it is difficult to imagine their collusion with this evil. May your body and spirit be held by our gracious Earth, and may you know there are always voices for freedom just out of your earshot. Please hang on if you can. The world needs you. Tracey TieF

Dear Mustafa, I am writing to you from the US. You are brave, your freedom will come soon, I know it. We are joining you in your struggle even across oceans and continents. Please do not lose hope – your work, your struggle, your fight for your freedom is worth the world. Liberation will be here soon. Art comes from fighting for liberation, and that is what makes the work you do so beautiful. I believe that one day, you will be able to create art with total freedom, in a more just world. Theatre workers in the US are crying with you. We love you and we are fighting and praying for your freedom, and for the freedom of all Palestinian people. When you are free again, your work will be heard around the world. I see theatrical art every day as part of my job. I know if I ever saw the work you create, it would be the most beautiful thing I’d have ever seen. One day you will be free to create again. Thank you for all you do. I am wishing you peace to get you through this time. Sincerely, Ruby Hays

Dear Mustafa, Every year on 17 November we celebrate a memorable day against dictatorship here in Greece. This year over 30,000 people marched on the streets of Athens for Palestine. This event was not covered by the media as it should. We stand by you and our hearts are with you. When you are out and smell the air of freedom, cover your wounds with our love. It's the only thing that is left unbroken in this crazy world. Those words are from Maḥmūd Darwīsh's "Defiance" to give you courage and strength. "You may fasten my chains Deprive me of my books and tobacco You may fill my mouth with earth Poetry will feed my heart, like blood It is salt to the bread And liquid to the eye I will write it with nails, eye sockets and daggers, I will recite it in my prison cell - in the bathroom - in the stable - Under the whip - Under the chains - In spite of my handcuffs I have a million nightingales On the branches of my heart Singing the song of liberation." [Translation : Our Roots Are Still Alive: the Story of the Palestinian People (New York: Institute for Independent Social Journalism, 1981)] Please stay alive. With love, Alkistis Voulgari

My Dear Mustafa I am shocked by your continuing imprisonment by the Occupiers, and that of so many others, both since the Genocide and before. We are Tower Hamlets Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Jenin Friendship Association. I have visited the Theatre many times, most recently in May 2023, with a group of UK Health Workers and you kindly showed us around. We have been organising frequent protests all across the UK, including some demonstrations which have reached up to a million participants. We want you and all Palestinians to know and the world to know of our ongoing solidarity Sybil Cock