In memory of Josepha Pik 1934-2008
We mourn our friend Josepha Pik who passed away on 1 November 2008.
During dozens of years Josepha was an activist against the Israeli occupation and was one of WOFPP's founders.
She graduated from the Law Faculty but did not want to work as a lawyer. She renewed her advocate's license in 1988, in the first Intifada (the Palestinian uprising), for the purpose of visiting political prisoners on a voluntary basis. For many years she visited women political prisoners every week.
Below a text that was written by 'Etaf 'Alian, released prisoner, and that was read to the audience at a memory event for Josepha:
"Dear Josepha,
I knew you since the eighties.
We spoke for a long time during every visit. You told me about the difficulties that the wardens put in your way in an attempt to stop your visits to the Security Prisoners*. But you were determined.
Your determination was emphasized during my second arrest when I went on a hunger strike for a long time, and you came to visit me. The wardens tried to prevent you from visiting me and told you that you would have to wait a long time. You answered them that you did not mind and waited for more than five hours. When you entered for the visit you did not complain about it but you felt happiness, the victory's happiness because you understood that the purpose of the wardens' behavior was to isolate and weaken me.
I did not think that your attitude came from your function only but that it stemmed from a deep ideological belief. This attitude engraved in my heart feelings that I could not translate into words because the deepest feelings can not be expressed in words.
My blessings to all who went with you on the same road, the women political prisoners appreciate your support.
With love
'Etaf 'Alian"
* "Security Prisoners" – The Israeli authorities categorize the political prisoners as "Security Prisoners".
Josepha's family organized a memory event that took place on 25 January 2009 at Tel Aviv University in the Law Faculty's building where she had worked in the library for many years.
May her memory be blessed
There are, at present, about 63 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: about 34 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), about 27 in Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain), and the rest in several detention centers.
The way from the prison to the court
The wardens' attitude towards prisoners during the journey from the prison to the court is very harsh and humiliating.
Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)
The prisoners from Gaza
Israel continues to prevent visits from the Gaza Strip to political prisoners.
During the war, when Israel attacked Gaza, the prisoners did not get any information from or about their families and were deeply worried at the news of thousands of dead, injured and homeless. WOFPP's lawyer, Taghreed Jahshan, made every effort to contact their families and to update the prisoners. After the prisoners requested again and again to speak with their families, the prison authorities allowed them, at the end of the war, to make one call to their families.
The conditions in the cells
The state of Israel sent an answer to "Mandela Institute" concerning the plea that was submitted on 1 December 2008: The answer stated that "Mandela Institute" does not have the right to submit the plea, and that the prisoners may submit the plea by themselves. Furthermore, the ridiculous claim was added that the prison authorities checked the conditions in the cells and came to the conclusion that the conditions were adequate.
The plea was based on prisoners' affidavits, and on the reports of the Public Defender and The Israeli Bar.
Handicraft
Recently, the prison authorities have prevented the women prisoners' families from handing over handicraft materials. The prison authorities also prohibit the women political prisoners to give their families handicrafts that they have made.
Letters
The prison authorities still have not delivered a great part of the letters to the women prisoners. There are women who do not get the letters from their family or get them months after they were sent.
The prisoners from the Gaza Strip are particularly harmed by this policy, as letters are the only contact with their families who are not allowed to visit them in prison.
Majda Fadda,
from Nablus, a member of the Municipality Council, was arrested on 5 August 2008. On 6 January 2009, the military court acquitted her, and the Israeli authorities placed her under administrative detention. She got an administrative detention order for six months, and it may arbitrarily be extended for an indefinite period.
New prisoners
Nawal elSa'adi,
45 years old, from Jenin Refugee Camp, was arrested on 6 November 2008 and was brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalameh). She was held in a cell without windows, the prison authorities prevented her sister from handing over clothes, and she underwent interrogations. During the interrogations, her hands were tied behind her body, and the interrogators humiliated and cursed her. On 6 January 2009, she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Amal el'Abidi,
from Jerusalem, an occupational therapy student, was arrested on 6 December 2008 and brought to the Russian Compound (Mosqobiyeh) Detention Center in Jerusalem. She was held in a dirty cell and underwent interrogations by 4 or 5 interrogators for many hours every day. During the interrogations her hands were tied behind her body, and the interrogators humiliated and cursed her. When WOFPP's lawyer came to visit her, the prison authorities tried to prevent the visit under various pretexts but at last she was allowed to meet her. In January, Amal was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Bara'a Malaqi,
14 years old, from Jalazun Refugee Camp, was arrested on 2 December 2008 and brought to the Russian Compound (Mosqobiyeh) Detention Center in Jerusalem where she was held in the same wing as adult criminal detainees. At the end of December she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Samah Sma'ada,
14.5 years, old from Jalazun Refugee Camp, was arrested on 2 December 2008 and brought to the Russian Compound (Mosqobiyeh) Detention Center in Jerusalem where she was held in the same wing as adult criminal detainees. At the end of December she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Kifah 'Afana Bahash,
23 years old, from Nablus, was arrested on 3 January 2009 at an Israeli check point in the West Bank and was brought to Salem Detention Center. She underwent interrogations and, some days later, she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Randa Shhatit,
23 years old, from Dura, Hebron district. After she underwent interrogations in a detention center she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Released prisoner
Maha el'Aradah,
33 year old, from Jenin district, was arrested on 5 February 2007 and released on 6 January 2009.
Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain)
Books
The women political prisoners request to have more books. The prison authorities allow each prisoner to have 2 books only. The families give the books to the prison staff, and the prisoners have to hand over the old books to the warden before getting the new ones. There is no library for the women political prisoners.
Samira Haniya Abu Shamala,
an administrative detainee, 46 years old, from Jenin district, was arrested on 3 March 2008. All her family members were prohibited from visiting her. She had her first family visit in January 2009, when her brother visited her.
Released prisoners
Salwa Salah ,
17 years old, from Bethlehem district, administrative detainee, was arrested on 5 June 2008 and released on 1 January 2009.
Sara Siureh,
17 years old, from Bethlehem district, administrative detainee, was arrested on 5 June 2008 and released on 1 January 2009.
For your notice:
New bank account:
Women's Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP)
Account number: 471067
BANK HAPOALIM
Branch 532
Daniel Frisch St. 3,Tel Aviv 64078, ISRAEL
IBAN number: IL 60-0125-3200-0000-0471-067
BIC (swift): POALILIT
Address of the person to receive the contribution:
Hava Keller
Frug Street 30
Tel Aviv 63417, ISRAEL