Wednesday, May 27, 2009

After year of resistance Israeli prison administration rescinds demand Palestinians wear orange

27.05.09 - 11:44

Jenin / Ali Samoudi for PNN – Palestinian political prisoners in sections one and four of the Israeli Jelboa Prison continue the long-standing struggle against the imposition of orange uniforms.

Palestinians have refused the Israeli mandate and are invoking methods of nonviolent resistance. Besides using their lawyer, political prisoners are also appealing directly appealing to the Israeli prison administration, no matter how notoriously unsympathetic.

The Israeli prison administration has informed political prisoners through their lawyer of its decision to freeze the demand that they wear orange uniforms.

After periodically meeting with the prisoners the lawyer stated Wednesday that the detainees were told by the administration last Sunday about the return of the previously worn brown uniform. This uniform was what they wore before being required to wear the orange uniform which Palestinians say likens them to criminals instead of political prisoners.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society says in its most recent report that the Israeli administration’s enforced uniform was a “repressive measure as these are the uniforms worn by the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.”

The head of the Bethlehem PPS said his organization is working in solidarity with political prisoners and that most refuse the orange.

Palestinians in the Israeli prisons are also disallowed family visits: all blocked for at least two months, and are not allowed even shelter from the summer heat.

No seasonal clothing or television is news is allowed either.