PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies

Activestills By Activestills December 16, 2013 | Edit

In a mass act of civil disobedience, over 150 Sudanese asylum seekers chose not to show up for the evening roll call Sunday night at an ‘open prison’ in Israel’s south.

Instead, they set out on a march to Be’er Sheva, more than 50 kilometers (30 miles) away, where they spent the night at the central bus station in freezing wintery conditions. According to law, the detainees must check in with prison authorities three times a day.

On Monday morning they continued marching toward Jerusalem in order to protest their continued detention without trial and to demand recognition as refugees. They group will set out to on the last leg of the trip to Jerusalem on Tuesday at dawn.

Photos: Oren Ziv, Yotam Ronen, Keren Manor, Shiraz Grinbaum / Activestills.org

PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
 Sudanese refugees who left the ‘Holot’ open prison camp at the central bus station in Be’er Sheva, December 15, 2013. (Photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
Sudanese refugees who left the ‘Holot’ open prison camp rest at the Be’er Sheva central bus station, December 15, 2013. (Photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
Sudanese refugees who left the ‘Holot’ detention facility sleep on the ground at the Be’er Sheva central bus station, December 15, 2013. Temperatures were expected to near freezing overnight. (Photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
PHOTOS: Asylum seekers march to Jerusalem to protest government policies
African Asylum seekers take part in a protest march on the highway from Be’er Sheva in southern Israel on their way to Jerusalem on December 16, 2013 after they fled a detention centre in the south where they were being held. (photo: Activestills.org)
Activestills

Activestills is a collective of Israeli, Palestinian, and international photographers, united by a conviction that photography is a vehicle for political and social change. We believe in the power of images to shape public attitudes and to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse. We view ourselves as part of the struggle against all forms of oppression, racism, and violations of the basic right to freedom. Our images are frequently published by many leading human rights, development, and advocacy agencies, as well as by alternative and leading news media. To stay updated on our latest images, like Activestills on Facebook or visit our Flickr photostream.

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