Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan upon his release from Israeli prison on July 12.

A weekly roundup of news and action alerts about political prisoners, prison struggles, and organizing against the prison industrial complex (PIC), both nationally and internationally. If you’ve got something you’d like to see included, leave a comment or send me an email.

• Egyptian journalist and prisoner of conscience Mahmoud Abu Zied, who has been jailed for two years without charge, is rapidly declining in health and requires treatment for Hepatitis C. More information on the Freedom for Shawkan Facebook page.

• Professor and former political prisoner James Kilgore wrote a piece reflecting on “Why Dylann Roof’s Racism Will Only be Nurtured in Prison.” A second piece by Kilgore this week discusses the current political climate regarding mass incarceration in the U.S. and the opportunities and pitfalls it poses for social justice organizers.

• From July 2 – 8, Israeli occupation forces arrested 40 Palestinian civilians, including eight children, in the occupied West Bank.

• Supporters of U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, noting that “Mumia remains in precarious health” are requesting people contact Pennsylvania state officials to demand he receive the treatment he needs.

• Four years ago, prisoners in California organized a hunger strike to call for an end to the use of solitary confinement. An article by Claude Marks of the Freedom Archives, and Isaac Ontiveros, formerly of Critical Resistance, looks at the history of prison organizing and developments over the past four years in the struggle against solitary confinement. There is also a call for pen pals on the outside to engage in correspondence with former hunger strikers and other prisoners.

• Several organizations are putting together a week of action from July 15 – 21 to stop the new jail in San Francisco.

• A call has gone out to mark July 25 as the International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners.

• Meanwhile, there is a call to organize for August 23-30 as the Anarchist Prisoners Global Week of Solidarity.

• July 7 – 11 was a week of action to end immigrant detention in the United States.

• In Mexico, after eight months in prison and on hunger strike since June 27, student activists Jacqueline Santana and Bryan Reyes were freed on Friday. In a case marred by irregularities and violations of due process, a judge ordered them released due to lack of evidence.

• On July 12, Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan was freed by Israel, only to be rearrested one day later and then released yet again. Adnan was victorious in achieving his freedom following a 55-day hunger strike against his administrative detention without charge or trial. This was the second time a hunger strike by Adnan was successful in winning his freedom.

• Two other Palestinian political prisoners, being held without charge or trial by Israel, are currently on hunger strike. Take action to demand the release of Muhammad Allan and Uday Isteiti here.

• Peter Collins, long-term prisoner and human rights activist in Canada, wrote, narrated and directed the below film from prison about his time in solitary confinement. Collins, eligible for parole since 2008, was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and is awaiting a hearing regarding possible compassionate release.