Women's Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP)



Newsletter April 2008

There are, at present, about 80 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: about 70 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), 4 in Kishon Detention Center (Jalame), 1 in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle) and the rest in several detention centers.

Kishon Detention Center (Jalame)

The women political prisoners who were transferred to Kishon Detention Center (Jalame): Nura elHashlamon, 'Abeer 'Amru, 'Aysha 'Abayat and Amneh Muna.

Nura elHashlamon, from Hebron, mother of six, an administrative detainee, was arrested on 17 September 2006. On 6 April 2008 she stopped her hunger strike that had lasted 24 days, because of deterioration of her health situation, and after the prison authorities promised her that during the next family visit she will be allowed to meet her children without being separated by a partition, (usually during family visits a glass partition separates between prisoner and family), and that her brother Nur, who is also a political prisoner, will be brought to visit her.
WOFPP's lawyer Taghreed Jahshan who visited Nura frequently, reported about the period of her hunger strike: Nura was transferred to an isolation cell in Hasharon Prison, and after some days she was transferred again to an isolation cell in Neve Tirza Prison where she suffered from harsher conditions. The prison authorities took away all her clothes and allowed her to use one blanket only, though she actually has six. They did not allow her to use soap and refused to hand over her Koran. In protest, Nura refused to be checked by a physician; this induced the prison authorities to give her back her clothes; but when she returned to the cell, her clothes were taken away again. On 25 March 2008 Nura was transferred to Kishon Detention Center (Jalame).
More about Nura elHashlamon

Petah Tiqva Detention Center

Hanadi Samir Kan'aan was arrested on 21 March 2008. From the day of her arrest until now (12 April 2008), she was prohibited from meeting a lawyer. Since her arrest, WOFPP's lawyer Taghreed Jahashan has tried to visit her but the authorities have refused.

Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)

WOFPP intended to buy sport equipment for the women political prisoners. According to the rules we asked The International Committee of the Red Cross to get a permission to let this equipment in, but the prison authorities refused. WOFPP has sent a protest letter to the prison authorities.

Dr. Maryam Salah, from elBira, 55 years old, a member of the Palestinian Parliament, was arrested on 12 November 2007. The Israeli authorities extended her administrative detention order in March 2008.

New Prisoners
Recently, the Israeli occupation forces have arrested about a dozen women who were brought to detention centers and interrogation centers. After weeks, most of them were transferred to Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond).
Ahlam Sliman Juhar, 30 years old, from Hawara, activist for human rights and prisoners, was arrested on 6 March 2008 and expelled to Jordan. During the period of her arrest all her family got a Palestinian identity card except her-self.
'Efaf Muhamad Jum'ah Btikh, a minor, from Jerusalem, was arrested on 5 February 2008, brought to Russian Compound Detention Center and transferred to Hasharon Prison on 2 April 2008. Nahla Musa Yusef Bader, from Ramallah district, was arrested on 8 March, brought to Russian Compound Detention Center and transferred to Hasharon Prison on 2 April 2008.
Samira Haniya 'Abd Yusf Abu Shamalah, 46 years old, from Y'abed in Jenin district, was arrested on 3 March 2008 and brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalame). The Israeli authorities placed her under administrative detention order and transferred her to Hasharon Prison in April 2008.
Iyat Rasm Mutlaq Qaysi, 20 years old, from Balata Refugee Camp in Nablus district, was arrested on 19 March 2008, brought to Petah Tiqva Detention Center and, for 8 days, was prohibited from meeting a lawyer. In April 2008 she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Muntaha Y'aqub Rida elKhatib, 18 years old, a student in a secondary school, from Balata Refugee Camp, was arrested on 21 March 2008, brought to Petah Tiqva Detention Center and transferred to Hasharon Prison at the beginning of April 2008.
Dina Tahsin Nimer 'Isa, 23 years old, a student, from Balata refugee camp, was arrested on 21 March 2008, brought to Petah Tiqva Detention Center and transferred to Hasharon Prison on 2 April 2008.
Asmaa Yusf Bteran, 19 years old, from Adna in Hebron district, was arrested on 13 February 2008.
Asraa Asrhim 'Amarna, 23 years old, from Dahaishe Refugee Camp in Bethlehem district, was arrested on 1 February 2008.

Releases
Rania Diab, from Kufer Ra'i in Jenin district, was arrested on 21 April 2002 and released in February 2008.
Thawrah elHamur, from Jenin, was arrested on 20 May 2002 and released in March 2008. Ghada elTiti, from el'Arub Refugee Camp in Hebron district, was arrested on 13 June 2002 and released in March 2008.
Nidaa elRamahi, from Nablus, was arrested on 21 September 2006 and released in March 2008.
Duaa Haj Hsin, from Nablus, was arrested on 27 September 2006 and released in March 2008.
Jihan Dahdaha, from Ramalla, was arrested on 28 December 2006 and released in March 2008.
Tesabih elKhiyat, from Nablus, a fourth year engineering student, was arrested on 29 February 2008 and released on bail of 10000 NIS, on 19 March 2008.

The International Women's Day 2008

On 8 March 2008, WOFPP participated in an evening organized by club Haifa elGhad ("The Tomorrow") about: "The women question and the women activities – reality and horizons".
In this event participated:


17 April – The Palestinian Prisoners' Day

At present there are about 11,000 Palestinian political prisoners in the Israeli jails.

Below some paragraphs from a letter that was written towards The Palestinian Prisoners' Day (to the original text in Arabic)

Written by: Rafat Hamuda

"The words of the youngest prisoner in the world…. Yusef elZuq, towards The Palestinian Prisoners Day

"Do you know me?
I am the baby of the woman prisoner Fatmah elZuq, 42 years old from Saja'iyah neighborhood in Gaza, who is held in Hasharon Prison since 8 months, together with more than 90 Palestinian women prisoners.
My friend in jail is my sister, the baby Ghada Abu 'Omar, 19 months old, the daughter of the woman prisoner Khaula elZitawi.
I wish the release when I am writing these lines. I miss my father, brothers and our home which I have never seen, because I was born in prison and have lived all these months in Hasharon Prison – Tel Mond, wing 12, with my mothers – the Palestinian women prisoners. For which accusation do I live this life's outcry among the thick concrete walls of the prison? ....

Why I do I have to wait for the permission of an Israeli officer to get my milk bottle and my belongings?
Why I am prohibited to enjoy my father's caress and his love?
Who gave them the right to confiscate my childhood and the friendship with children my age, as all the children are entitled to?
Why I am prohibited to have toys and games because of security reasons?
Why I am disturbed every day because of the count, morning and evening?

…. In spite of the chains I am happy in the society of my mother and the other mothers, the women prisoners whom I love. I address you to support them because I cannot imagine that my mother and I will be released and they will stay behind. Is this possible? …"



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