CONCERNS are growing over Scottish journalist Yvonne Ridley, kidnapped along with 450 others when their Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mercy mission to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli forces.

One of four Scots aboard — alongside Jim Hickey, Margaret Pacetta and Sid Khan — Ms Ridley was detained and taken to the notorious Ktzi’ot prison camp, infamous among human rights organisations, both in Israel and internationally, for its decades-long abject track record on deprivation, violence and sexual abuse.

Alarm bells were raised when Ms Ridley did not return home alongside other flotilla members. The long-time Palestine solidarity activist had been undertaking a hunger strike since she was kidnapped by Israeli forces last week, and concerns were raised further by reports that she had been denied access to her own medication. 

Now, with no indication as to whether she continues to languish at Ktzi’ot or elsewhere, comrades are calling for government action to secure her safe release.

Ms Ridley’s own NUJ Edinburgh freelance branch joined forces with the Edinburgh district branch to issue a joint statement.

It reads: “We call for the immediate and safe return of Scottish journalist Yvonne Ridley, who has been detained by Israeli authorities.

“Yvonne, 67, a respected journalist and beloved grandmother from the Scottish borders, was a crew member on board the Global Sumud Flotilla when she was detained. Her current status and wellbeing remain unclear despite reports suggesting she would be deported over the weekend.

“As journalists, colleagues and citizens, we stand in solidarity with Yvonne and affirm her right to safety, dignity, and due process. The detention of media professionals engaged in humanitarian observation undermines the principles of press freedom and transparency that are essential to any democracy.

“We urge the UK government, the Scottish government, and international diplomatic partners to take immediate steps to secure Yvonne’s release and safe passage home to Scotland.”

Responding to that call, First Minister John Swinney told Bauer Media: “I’m very concerned about the wellbeing of the individuals who are part of the flotilla that are now being held in Israel.

“We have been in touch on an ongoing basis with the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office since Thursday and I’m very satisfied with the engagement that we’ve had, and they’re dealing with a difficult situation with the Israeli government.

“I would make a plea for […] urgent consular access for all individuals to make sure their wellbeing is assured — that should be an absolute given in any of these circumstances.

“And also for the immediate return of those individuals.

“We are making those representations to the United Kingdom government, who are, of course, interacting with the Israeli government on these questions.”

Ms Pacetta, a 70 year-old Glaswegian solidarity activist, arrived back in Manchester Airport on Sunday. 

In an interview with Ahmed Sewehi broadcast on social media, she said: “We got kidnapped on international waters, they jailed us in a ‘Palestinian terrorist’ jail. 

“It was horrendous. We were blindfolded. I had a broken leg and one of the prison officers told me to ‘stand there’ and slammed a door on my leg.”

A defiant Ms Pacetta, a veteran of four such flotillas, said she would be prepared to do it all again, but branded the British government as an “absolute disgrace,” comparing its inaction with those of other governments, which supplied ships and even drones in an effort to protect their citizens on the flotilla, as well as the Turkish government, which arranged their journey home.

The Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting a number of British nationals who have been detained in Israel and are in touch with the local authorities.”