political prisoners

Khader Adnan is fighting for rights that should be guaranteed to all prisoners. Organizations from all over the world have launched a call to make Palestinian Political Prisoners’ Day, 17 April 2012, a day of international action.

The Public Committee against Torture in Israel (PCATI) reveals how Israel has evaded criminal investigations into all 701 complaints of torture and ill-treatment. Meanwhile the torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees continues.

Israel has intensified its persecution of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Five days ago, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva discussed the situation of PLC members in Israeli jails.

Since his detention in 1993, Mahmoud Issa Moussa has been held in isolation in different Israeli prisons. A period of long-term isolation began for Mahmoud in 2002 and continues until today. This month the period of his isolation has been extended again with six months.

Israel has banned family visits to Gazan prisoners since June 2007. Israel tries to bargain about this right with the Red Cross, according to Palestinian Human Rights organization Addameer. This is unacceptable and Addameer calls for international action to put pressure on the Israeli Government.

Ameer Makhoul writes from Gilboa jail about Israeli policies that aim to disconnect the Palestinian prisoners from their families, friends, and solidarity people. He calls for an international fact-finding mission of human rights organizations.

I am a Palestinian. Hath not a Palestinian eyes? hath not a Palestinian hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as an Israeli Jew is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.