Five life sentences — and Hollywood wants him freed: Marvel stars rally behind Marwan Barghouti

More than 20 actors who have appeared in Marvel films,  including Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, and Ian McKellen, have joined a campaign demanding the release of Marwan Barghouti, one of the most notorious Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel.

Barghouti is a senior Fatah figure and leader associated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which carried out deadly suicide bombings and shootings during the Second Intifada. An Israeli court convicted him in 2004 of five murders and one attempted murder, sentencing him to five consecutive life terms plus 40 years. Israel linked him to additional attacks, including shootings at a bat mitzvah celebration in Hadera and Tel Aviv’s Seafood Market restaurant.

Despite his record, more than 200 actors, musicians, writers, and directors have joined the “Freedom for Marwan” campaign, urging the UN and governments worldwide to secure his release. Barghouti remains enormously influential in Palestinian politics, with a recent poll showing him winning 54% in a hypothetical presidential election.