On Palestinian Prisoners’ Day: 6500 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons

Palestine

Published: 2018-04-17 12:30

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 09:28


There are more than 6000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. (AlJazeera)
There are more than 6000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. (AlJazeera)

As Palestinians mark the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on April 17, there are around 6,050 Palestinian detainees held in the Israeli prisons as of April 2018, according to the Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Addameer.

There are more than 400 detainees held in administrative detention, 356 child prisoners and 62 female prisoners, according to Addameer.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee member, Hanan Ashrawi, released a statement in support of prisoners who are detained for resisting the occupation, denouncing Israel’s continuous violation of the rights of Palestinian political prisoners, Wafa news agency reported.

Ashrawi asserted that Palestinians are subjected to a number of infringements to their rights including arbitrary arrests. Women, children and the elderly are not exempt from arrests, ill-treatment and torture as they face being transferred to Israel from Palestine and lack of healthcare provision, she continued to say.

Ashrawi called on the international community to investigate and stop the illegal practices toward Palestinians committed by the Israeli authorities.

“There is no justification or legal basis for persisting with such crimes,” the statement read. “Denying Palestinian prisoners of their fundamental rights and dignity of humanity goes against all forms of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The PLO official called on Israel to immediately release all the imprisoned parliamentarians including Marwan Barghouti, Khalida Jarrar and Ahmad Sa’adat.