The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) issued a detailed report on the Palestinian detainees imprisoned by Israel as the Palestinian prepare for commemorating the Palestinian Prisoners Day on April 17. The report revealed that Israelis still holding 10500 Palestinians captive.
Image reprinted from www.qudsmedia.net
The PPS reported that detainee Nael Al Barghouthi entered his 33rd year in detention while additional 11 detainees spent more than 25 years in prison.
The PPS also said that 76 detainees are sentenced to life-terms, 59 female detainees are still imprisoned, and 630 detainees are imprisoned under administrative detention without charges or trial.
Abdullah Al Zaghari, head of the PPS in Bethlehem said that 1045 Palestinians from the Bethlehem district are imprisoned by Israel, including 320 who were sentenced by Israeli courts, 65 under administrative detention, 5 female detainees, and 651 still awaiting trial.
Al Zaghari added that Israel increased its violations and restrictions against the detainees after prisoner-swap talks failed to achieve a deal, and placed dozens of detainees in solitary confinement in addition to imposing high fines on dozens of detainees.
Israel also barred the detainees from their visitations rights as a sort of punishment after prisoner-swap talks failed.
Other violations against the detainees include breaking into their rooms and searching them, in addition to denying basic medical rights to sick and wounded detainees.
The PPS also reported that Israel is still holding the bodies of 20 Palestinians who died during attacks against Israeli targets and during suicide bombings.
The PPS said that in 72 Palestinian detainees died in Israeli prisons during the Al Aqsa Intifada which started in late September 2000, and that the total number of detainees who died in Israeli prisons arrived to 195.
Palestinian researcher, specialized in detainees’ affairs, Abdul-Nasser Farwana, said that Israel is still holding the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians who died in attacks against Israel since 1967. He stated that the detained bodies of the detainees are placed in Israeli morgues and in graveyards known as Numbers Graveyards as the tombs carry numbers instead of names.
At least 3 detainees died during torture, 17 died due to medical negligence, 51 were shot and killed after they were captured, and one detainee was shot and killed at the Negev detention camp.
During the Al Aqsa Intifada, Israeli soldiers kidnapped 750 women, 87 are still imprisoned, in addition to kidnapping more than 7500 children; nearly 300 of them are still imprisoned.
Four female detainees gave birth behind bars, and the Israeli army arrested hundreds of wives, mothers and relatives of wanted fighters as a means of pressure on the fighters to surrender.
As the Palestinians prepare to mark April 17, the Palestinian Prisoners Day, the PPS announced a series of activities to express solidarity with the detainees.
The activities include protests in the streets, interviews and programs about the detainees in local TV and Radio stations, lectures in schools and educational facilities and other popular activities.
