31 female Palestinians face harsh conditions in Israeli prisons

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Aug 2023 17:04

Palestinian female prisoners are subjected to numerous violations of their rights and dignity, including infringements on their privacy and restrictions on communication with their families.

Palestinian women attend a protest in solidarity with female Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, in Gaza city on December 22, 2021. (AFP)

The Palestine Center for Prisoners' Studies has reported that the occupation continues to detain 31 Palestinian female prisoners under harsh detention conditions, including two prisoners held in solitary confinement.

The center's director, researcher Riyad Al-Ashqar, clarified that the occupation is holding two prisoners from Al-Quds, Fadwa Hammad and Nawal Fatah, in Abu Kabir prison designated for criminals for nearly 4 months in extremely difficult conditions. They were only recently allowed a visit, once, during this period.

Al-Ashqar pointed out that the two female prisoners are subjected to harassment, with criminal prisoners throwing waste and dirty water from the upper floors onto the courtyard where they are held. They also verbally insult them and use offensive language as they pass by their cells' doors. Additionally, the prisoners are subjected to medical negligence and degrading treatment by the female guards.

Moreover, Al-Ashqar stated that this is not the first time that Fadwa Hammad has been subjected to solitary confinement or repressive measures by the occupation since her arrest in 2017. She was previously subjected to 73 days of solitary confinement in the notorious Al Jalame prison, and a second time for 105 consecutive days. In June 2020, she suffered a broken foot after falling to the ground due to being shackled from her hands and feet during a visit.

Al-Ashqar also highlighted that the policy of arresting Palestinian women has a long history, starting from the early days of the occupation of Palestine and continuing beyond specific eras. However, the policy has escalated during times of heightened tension, such as the Al-Aqsa uprising (intifada), under various pretexts. Since 1967, more than 17,000 cases of female arrests have been recorded, and currently, 31 female prisoners remain detained, with 3 of them held under administrative detention without charge, and 8 having received sentences exceeding 10 years.

Regarding the health situation of the female prisoners, Al-Ashqar noted that eight of them were ill or wounded, with the latest being Samira Harbawi (50 years old), who sustained injuries in her legs and was arrested in July. Prior to her, Fatima Shahin from Beit Lahm was shot and left paralyzed, requiring the removal of a kidney and half of her liver. She was held for months in the Ramla prison under harsh conditions, along with prisoner Ataf Jaradat. Shahin was recently returned to the 'Damon' prison.

Al-Ashqar also revealed that the central occupation court in Haifa issued an unjust ruling against released prisoner Aya Khatib on Tuesday, sentencing her to 4 years in prison. She was charged for allegedly raising funds for external entities and had been arrested in February 2020, released after 16 months under house arrest pending trial, and is now expected to turn herself in to serve her sentence.

The Palestine Center urged international institutions concerned with women's affairs to intervene and protect Palestinian women from the occupation's ongoing crimes, particularly arbitrary detention, severe sentences, and all forms of torture and abuse in Israeli prisons.

The prison administration continues to violate the privacy of the female prisoners by installing surveillance cameras in the corridors and outside areas of the prison. Such practices force the prisoners, as Al-Ashqar mentioned, to go outside while dressed in traditional attire, alongside a lack of bathroom doors. Furthermore, the policy of raiding cells to restrict prisoners and confiscate their personal belongings persists, along with denying visits and phone calls to their families. Cultural or educational books are banned, and medical negligence and delays in medical examinations and the provision of proper medication continue for sick and wounded female prisoners.