Women's Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP)



Newsletter June 2015

There are currently 24 women political prisoners in Israeli jails, 23 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), one in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle)

Punishments

Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)

On 22 April 2015 the prison authorities accused some political prisoners who were in the exercise yard of singing and waving the Palestinian flag when the siren in memory of Israeli soldiers sounded. The prison authorities punished seven of the women and forcing them to return to their cells. In protest the other women prisoners also returned to their cells. Then the prison authorities punished all the women by confining them to their cells for four days. Six prisoners: Shireen Isawi, Yasmin Shaaban, Lina Khatab, Naheel Abu 'Aysha, Samaher Zin Aladin, Jihad Sharauna, were punished by being refused family visits for a month.

On 3 May 2015, a warden claimed that woman prisoner had pushed her. Other guards came and violently pushed the women prisoners into the cells and five women prisoners were put in isolation for a week: Ihsan Dababseh, Naheel Abu 'Aysha Hanya Naser, Yasmin Shaaban and Shireen Isawi. The other women political prisoners requested that these women be transferred back to their cells. After two days Ihsan Dababseh, Naheel Abu 'Aysha Hanya Naser and Yasmin Shaaban were back in the women political prisoners wing but with the same isolation conditions for the rest of the week , but Shireen Isawi was transferred to isolation in Neve Tirza prison (Ramle) on 4 May 2015.

Neve Tirza Prison (Ramleh)

Shirin Isawi was held for a week in isolation in a small cell with no windows. There are small openings in the doors that in other cells are open but in Shirin's cell they were closed and only opened later. Nevertheless the ventilation is inadequate, the cell smells bad and is very hot. There is a douche in the ceiling and also a tap that has no water. When turns on the tap the douche is operated and the whole cell floor becomes wet.

On 13 May 2015 Shireen was told that the isolation had ended and she would be held in the separation cells. In those cells theoretically there is T.V. available but the prison authorities told her that in this specific cell there are no arrangements for T.V and she is not going to be moved to another cell where T.V. is available. On 25 May 1015 the prison authorities accused Shireen of sending a letter to the media and she was held again in isolation for a week.

Letters

The women political prisoners still do not receive letters and letters that they send do not reach their destination. During the last two years they received very few letters.

Meeting with family members who are prisoners too

Following the submission of a petition by Advocate Abeer Baker, Mona Qa'adan was allowed to meet with her husband who is also a political prisoner and the meeting took place on 4 May 2015. The authorities refused to allow Dunia Waked to meet her husband who is also a political prisoner.

Transportation to the Courts

The conditions of travel from the prison to the courts continue to be very harsh and humiliating. Yasmin Shaaban who complained to the prison authorities in January 2015 has not yet received any response. WOFPP together with other human rights organizations is planning to take action to change the transportation conditions.

List of women political prisoners:

Lina Jarbuni, 40 years old, from Arabeh Bathouf, Galilee dictrict, was arrested on 15 April 2002, sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Mona Qa'adan, 43 years old, from Arabeh, Jenin district; a former prisoner, she was released before the end of legal proceedings on 18 December 2011 in the prisoner exchange deal for Shalit. She was arrested again on 13 November 2012. On 31 March 2015 Mona was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment and 24 months suspended sentence for five years from the date of her release and fined 30,000 NIS (about 7800 dollars). The military court cancelled her release in the prisoners exchange deal.

Naheel Abu 'Aysha, 36 years old, from Hebron, was arrested on 14 March 2013. She was sentenced on 11 November 2014 to 33 months imprisonment, 24 months suspended sentence for five years from the date of her release and a fine of 2,000 NIS (about 520 dollars).

Dunia Waked, from Tulkarem Refugee Camp, 37 years old, worked in jewelry shop, was arrested on 27 May 2013. She was sentenced to 42 months imprisonment.

Wiam Jaber , 22 years old from Tell, Nablus district, student of business administration was arrested on 11 November 2013. She was sentenced on 24 April 2014 to 32 month's imprisonment.

Falestin Najem 28 years old, from Nablus, arrested on 20 November 2013. She was sentenced on 5 January 2015 to 48 months imprisonment and 24 months suspended sentence for five years from the date of her release and fined 3,000 NIS (about 780 dollars).

Shireen Isawi, a lawyer 34 years old from Jerusalem, a former prisoner, was arrested again on 6 March 2014. On 5 May 2015 she was transferred from Hashron prison to isolation in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle)

Samaher Zin Aladin, mother of six, from Majdal Bani Fadil, Nablus district, was arrested at her home on 28 May 2014. She was sentenced on 20 may 2015 to 13 months imprisonment, 34 months suspended sentence for five years from the date of her release and fined 4,000 NIS (about 1040 dollars). She suffers from health problems.

Thoriya Taha, 21 years old, from Beit Ilu, Ramallah district, was arrested on 26 July 2014. She is studying media and technology in the Al-Quds Open University. On 12 February 2015 she was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment.

D. S., 17 years, from Jerusalem, was arrested on 3 January 2014. She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Ihsan Dababseh, 28 years old, from Hebron, a former prisoner, was arrested again on 13 October 2014.

Yasmin Shaaban, 32 years old, mother of four, from Jalame, Jenin district, was arrested from her home on 3 November 2014. She was brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalame) where she underwent interrogation for five days. On 9 November 2014 she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.

Hala abu Sal 18 years old, from Al-Arroub refugee camp, Hebron district, was arrested on 28 November 2014.

Amal Taqatqa, 20 years old, from Beit Fajar, Bethlehem district, was arrested on 1 December 2014. During her arrest she was shot by Israeli occupation soldiers with live ammunition and seriously injured in her left hand, her left waist and her left leg. Amal was hospitalized but her legs were chained to the bed. On 30 December 2014 she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.

Hanya Naser, 23 years old, from Dir Qadis, Ramallah district a former prisoner. She was released on 18 December 2011 in the prisoner exchange deal for Shalit and was arrested again on 10 December 2014. A special Israeli military committee canceled her release in the prisoners exchange deal for Shalit and decided to return her to prison to complete her original sentence which still has 25 months to run.

Fida Daa'ms, 20 years old, from Bet 'Umar, Hebron district, a student, was arrested on 28 January 2015. On 17 May 2015 she was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, 6 months suspended sentence for 3 years from the date of her release and a fine of 2,000 NIS (about 520 dollars). She suffers from health problems.

Hanan Shalabi, 20 years old, from TulKarem Refugee Camp, a student, was arrested on 27 February 2015 in Bil'in during the weekly demonstration against the wall.

Khalida Jarrar, Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member, 52 years old, mother of two from Ramalla, was arrested on 2 April 2015 at her home. The military commander initially issued a 6-month administrative detention order against her. After one month and two days it was ended replaced to detention (not administrative) and on 28 May 2015 the military extended her detention until the end of legal proceedings. She suffers from health problems.

Jihad Sharauna 21 years old, from Dura, Hebron district, was arrested on 6 April 2015. On 13 May 2015 she was sentenced to 4 months imprisonment, 6 months suspended sentence for 3 years from the date of her release and a fine of 2,000 NIS (about 520 dollars)

'Aliya el'Abasi, 49 years old, mother of five from Silwan neighborhood in Jerusalem, was arrested on 2 January 2012 and released on 23 February 2012 to home detention on bail of 7.500 NIS that was deposited. She was sentenced on 14 April 2015 to two years imprisonment. On 15 April 2015 she was transferred to Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle) and later to Hasharon prison. She suffers from health problems.

Muna elSayah, 34 years old, from Nablus, was arrested on 14 April 2015. She was brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalame) where she underwent interrogation. The authorities banned her from meeting with her lawyer for about two weeks after her arrest. In May 2015 Muna was transferred to Hasharon prison. She suffers from health problems.

Released Prisoners

Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)

Bushra elTawil, 21 years old, from elBireh, Ramallah district, a former prisoner, was released on 18 December 2011 in the prisoner exchange deal for Shalit. She was arrested again on 1 July 2014. A special Israeli military committee canceled her release in the Shalit exchange and decided to return her to prison to complete her original sentence. Bushra was released on 17 May 2015.

Fida Suliman, 22 years old, from Bet 'Ur elTahta, Ramallah district, was arrested on 26 August 2014 and released on 10 March 2015.

Y. R., 16 years old, from Beit Duqqu, Jerusalem district, was arrested on 4 December 2014 at Qalandiya checkpoint. On 5 March 2015 she was released on bail of 5,000 NIS (about 1300 dollars) to house arrest.

Yaman Amarna, 21 years old, from Ya'abed, Jenin district, law student in AlQuds University, was arrested on 17 February 2015. In March 2015 she was sentenced to 31 days imprisonment and a fine of 5000 NIS (about 1300 dollars). Yaman was released on 12 March 2015.

Amal el Shawish 47 years old, mother of six from Jerusalem was arrested on 4 March 2015. She was held in Ohaly Kedar Prison (Beer Sheva) for about three weeks. On 22 April 2015 Amal was released on bail of 15,000 NIS (about 3900 dollars) to house arrest at her home.

Alaa Bene Odah a 20 year old, student, from Tamoon, Jenin district was arrested on 7 March 2015 and released on 12 March 2015.

Lina Khatab, 18 years old, from Ramalla, a communication and media student in Bir Zet University, was arrested on 13 December 2014. On 18 February 2015 she was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, 6 months suspended sentence for 3 years from the date of her release, a fine of 6,000 NIS (about 1,560 dollars) and a fine of 3,000 NIS (about 780 dollars) suspended for 3 years from the date of her release. Lina was released on 11 June 2015.

Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle).

Asmaa Aliya Balhwi, 36 years old, mother of three from Irtah TulKarem, was arrested on 14 December 2014. She was held in Ohaly Kedar Prison (Beer Sheva) for about two weeks then transferred to Neve Tirza Prison. In March she was released on bail to house arrest in the Naqeb.

Asmaa Darghma 33 years old, mother of two from Azariyeh was arrested on 26 March 15. On 1 April 2015 she was sentenced to 31 days imprisonment and a fine of 2500 NIS (about 650 dollars). Asmaa was released on 23 April 2015.

Mosqubiya Detention Center

Nisreen Hmeida , 32 years old, mother of three from al-Doha village, Bethlehem district was arrested on 15 April 2015 from her home. On 30 April 2015 Nisreen was released on bail of 3,000 NIS (about 780 dollars).


WOFPP needs donations to enable us to continue frequent lawyer's visits in the prisons.

For donations to WOFPP :
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 to receive the contribution:
WOFPP
Frug Street 30
Tel Aviv 63417, ISRAEL

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