More than two hundred prominent voices from the cultural world have issued an appeal calling for the release of Marwan Barghouti, who has spent over two decades in Israeli detention. In an open letter published on Wednesday, the signatories expressed alarm over his prolonged imprisonment, the harsh treatment he is reported to endure, and the continued denial of his basic rights. They urged governments and international institutions to take concrete steps to secure his freedom.

The signatories include celebrated writers such as Margaret Atwood, Philip Pullman, Zadie Smith and Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux. Leading actors, including Sir Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Josh O’Connor and Mark Ruffalo, added their names, alongside figures from sport and music including Gary Lineker, Sting, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox and Brian Eno. Their intervention reflects the growing sense of urgency around Barghouti’s fate at a moment of deep uncertainty for Palestinians after two years of genocidal war in Gaza.

Barghouti, seen by many as a unifying national figure with the rare ability to bridge political divides, has now spent 23 years behind bars. He was an elected member of the Palestinian parliament at the time of his arrest and continues to top opinion polls as a preferred national leader. Critics have long described his trial as marred by serious irregularities, while rights groups have warned that the conditions of his imprisonment, including extended periods of isolation and restrictions on legal access, violate international standards.

Despite multiple prisoner exchanges in recent months, Israel has repeatedly refused to include Barghouti, a decision widely viewed as driven not by security considerations but by concerns over the political influence he could wield if released. Israeli officials are reportedly debating new legislation that would allow the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, a move that has heightened anxieties about Barghouti’s future.

The appeal from cultural figures comes at a time of rising global scrutiny of Israel’s policies. A recent UN resolution endorsing a proposal for an international stabilisation force in Gaza has failed to gather sufficient support from states, while leading Palestinian human rights groups have criticised the initiative, arguing that it fails to address the root causes of the humanitarian catastrophe.

Supporters of the new campaign hope to emulate the international cultural mobilisation that helped secure the release of Nelson Mandela. Mandela himself famously stated in 2002 that Barghouti’s experience mirrored his own. Brian Eno, one of the signatories, said the world had a responsibility to accelerate the day of Barghouti’s freedom, adding that history shows cultural movements can influence political outcomes.

Barghouti is currently serving multiple life sentences issued in 2004. His legal team has had severely limited access to him in recent years, and his family has been denied visits for three years. Despite this, many believe he retains the capacity to play a central political role were he ever released, a possibility that continues to shape both public debate and political calculations.