Published yesterday (updated) 14/11/2009 16:37
Bethlehem – Ma'an – The Arab League met in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the plight of Palestinian prisoners.
Delegates were expected to discuss allegations of mistreatment toward 33 specific women, including torture and forced confessions.
Issa Qaraqi, the Palestinian Authority's minister of prisoners and ex-detainees, said the meeting would initiate an international and Arab campaign "to support prisoners politically and legally," and said he would present a report on "inhumane Israeli practices" in the country's jails.
In a statement, he stressed that the international community should seek curbs on imprisoning minors, as well as efforts to end to administrative detention, a term that refers to Israel's policy of detaining Palestinians for up to six months at a time without charge.
Qaraqi said the Arab League will vote on two new observer members, Norway and Slovenia, as well as other administrative issues including the appointment of an assistant secretary-general to replace the late Mowaffaq Nassar, who died in July.
At the request of Syria, Secretary-General Amr Moussa brought forth a memorandum on the 355 children jailed in Israeli prisons, as well as allegations that Israel was trafficking prisoners' organs. Moussa will also meet with the foreign minister of Cyprus, Marcos Kyprianou, to discuss the general situation in the region.
Delegates were expected to discuss allegations of mistreatment toward 33 specific women, including torture and forced confessions.
Issa Qaraqi, the Palestinian Authority's minister of prisoners and ex-detainees, said the meeting would initiate an international and Arab campaign "to support prisoners politically and legally," and said he would present a report on "inhumane Israeli practices" in the country's jails.
In a statement, he stressed that the international community should seek curbs on imprisoning minors, as well as efforts to end to administrative detention, a term that refers to Israel's policy of detaining Palestinians for up to six months at a time without charge.
Qaraqi said the Arab League will vote on two new observer members, Norway and Slovenia, as well as other administrative issues including the appointment of an assistant secretary-general to replace the late Mowaffaq Nassar, who died in July.
At the request of Syria, Secretary-General Amr Moussa brought forth a memorandum on the 355 children jailed in Israeli prisons, as well as allegations that Israel was trafficking prisoners' organs. Moussa will also meet with the foreign minister of Cyprus, Marcos Kyprianou, to discuss the general situation in the region.
