There are, at present, about 115 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails. In Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond) about 100, the rest in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle), in Kishon Detention Center (Jalame near Haifa) and several more in other detention centers.
Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)
The windows in the cells still cannot be opened because they remain covered with metal covers that almost do not let in daylight and very little air to breathe.
The dental health care is totally insufficient. The treatment given in most cases consists of extracting teeth, and also this treatment sometimes is done incorrectly, and prisoners suffer from complications after the extracting. The dentist's attitude to the prisoners is humiliating and harsh.
About a year ago the prisoners complained about the dental health care to the prison authorities, but to no avail.
Family visits: According to the procedure, the frequency of the family visits to detainees who have not yet been sentenced is one visit a week. The family of Woroud Kasem who was arrested on 4 October 2006 and has not been sentenced yet, requested the prison authorities to have a family visit once a week and was refused. Woroud is going to submit an appeal by WOFPP's lawyer Taghreed Jahshan, against the refusal.
Dr. Rifqa elJa'abri: Her administrative detention was extended on 15 March for two additional months. Finally, after months of waiting she got one of her optical glasses. The prison authorities did not allow her to receive the sunglasses.
New Prisoners
Ahlam Kambiz
Rim 'Ayda, mother of four children, was arrested when she was visiting her brother, a prisoner in Nafha prison.
Suad Shyokhi, 20 year old, from Jerusalem, an administrative detainee.
Khetam Yasin, 33 years old.
Released Prisoners
Manal Ghanim, from Tulkarem Refugee Camp, was released after she had spent four years in the Israeli jails, mostly in Hasharon prison. A large number of people welcomed her at the Jbara barrier near Tulkarem Refugee Camp.
Manal, 31 years old, mother of four, was arrested on 17 April 2003 by the Israeli army and sentenced in a military court to 50 months' imprisonment. Manal, who suffers from Thalasemia, was arrested when pregnant and, at the end of September 2003, gave birth to her son Nour. Nour had lived with his mother in prison since he was born until 11 May 2006, the date that the prison authorities separated him from his mother. Since then he lives with the family in Tulkarem Refugee Camp.
In March 2005 "Addameer" (Addameer - Prisoners' Support and Human Rights Association, situated in Ramallah) launched a campaign to release Manal Ghanim, "Women's Organization for Political Prisoners" joined the campaign.
The Israeli authorities refused to consider Manal's hard circumstances and rejected her appeal for early release even after she has served two thirds of her prison sentence.
More about Manal Ghanim
'Ubida Abu 'Aysha from Bet Wazan, Nablus district, was arrested on 2 February 2002 and released on 18 March 2007.
Samah 'Abdalla, from 'Asira elQabliya, was arrested on 7 October 2004 and released on 22 February 2007
Lamia Jal'um, from Jenin, arrested on 1 October 2004, was released in February 2007 after the release board agreed to grant an early release.
Nuha Boshnak, from Tulkarem, was arrested on 9 August 2006 and released in March 2007.
Nivin Shweki, from Hebron, was arrested on 4 November 2003 and released on 8 March 2007.
Khetam Ashtiya, from Salem, Nablus district, was arrested on 3 April 2006 and released on 13 March 2007.
Rajaa 'Amer, from Hebron, arrested on 10 September 2005, was released on 5 April 2007.
Ashjan Abu Srur, a student from Bethlehem, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and 1000 NIS fine. She was released on 15 April 2007.
Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle)
On 8 March, WOFPP's lawyer Taghreed Jahshan went to visit Neve Tirza prison, after coordinating the visit according to the procedure. The prison authorities told her that all the Palestinian women political prisoners had been transferred from Neve Tirza (Ramle). In fact Amne Muna was not transferred. Only Sanaa 'Amru and 'Aisha 'Abayat had been transferred back to Hasharon prison on 8 March.
Amne Muna, 29 years old, from Jerusalem. She has been held and continues being held in separate detention for more than eight months. Amne submitted an appeal through her lawyer, Smadar Ben Natan, against being held in separation. On 18 April the court rejected the appeal and extended the separation order to six additional months.
Kishon Detention Center (Jalame)
There are four women political prisoners in Kishon (Jalame) who are held in harsh conditions; especially the food is almost inedible. They request to be transferred back to Hasharon prison.
Released prisoners from Kishon (Jalame)
Suad Nazal, from Qalqilya, was arrested on 23 November 2004 and released on 11 April 2007. Suad requested to meet her brother who is a prisoner in Damun prison (near Haifa). Even though the request was submitted according to the procedure, the prison authorities refused.
International Women’s Day
On 7 March 2007 on the occasion of International Women's Day, WOFPP, together with "Association for Arab Youths – Baladna" in Haifa, organized an evening of solidarity with the political women prisoners in the Israeli jails.
On the panel of the event participated:
Arij Shahbari, a recently released prisoner.
Tali Fahima, also a recently released prisoner.
The mother of the prisoner Su'ad Abu Hamed who talked about the suffering of the families.
Muhammad Sa'adi, father of two women prisoners, Buhaisah (released) and Taghreed (still in prison), read a letter from his imprisoned daughter.
Diana Hasin, mother of the male political prisoner Rabia Hasin, and activist in "Ansar Alsajin" (an association for the prisoners) that was attacked and closed down in September 2006 by the Israeli authorities.
WOFPP’s lawyer Taghreed Jahshan moderated the event.
More about the event
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