Republic of Palestine – March 2026
The Union of Palestinian Communities and Institutions in Europe condemned the decision to withdraw the cultural grant awarded to Palestinian writer, journalist, and feminist activist Bisan Adwan in Sweden, considering the move part of a growing pattern of targeting Palestinian activism and solidarity with the Palestinian cause across Europe.
This came in a statement issued by the union on Monday, March 9, in the context of International Women’s Day.
In the statement, the union said that recent years have witnessed an escalation in the targeting of activists and supporters of the Palestinian people in several European countries and capitals, due to their positions in support of Palestinian rights and their efforts to expose the crimes of the Israeli occupation and the genocidal war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The statement explained that the cultural grant awarded to Adwan was originally part of programs aimed at protecting writers at risk, in recognition of her cultural and political activism and her defense of freedom of expression and the rights of the Palestinian people, while expressing strong rejection of the decision to revoke it.
The union also stated that targeting Adwan because of her political views and her activism in support of her people’s rights constitutes, according to the statement, a violation of freedom of expression and reflects what it described as “a worrying climate of increasing restrictions on Palestinian voices and those expressing solidarity with Palestine in Europe.”
In the context of International Women’s Day, the union stressed that targeting a Palestinian activist because of her political views falls within attempts to silence feminist voices that stand for justice and freedom, emphasizing that Palestinian women have long been—and continue to be—at the forefront of the struggle for freedom and dignity.
The union called for broad solidarity campaigns in support of Bisan Adwan, as well as activists and solidarity movements with the Palestinian people in Europe and worldwide, affirming that defending Palestinian rights and exposing the violations of the occupation is a legitimate moral and humanitarian position.
The statement concluded by stressing that freedom of expression, justice, and human dignity must remain fundamental principles that should be defended, especially in light of the occupation, displacement, and ongoing genocide faced by the Palestinian people.
