There are, at present, about 36 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: About 20 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), about 15 in Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain), one in Russian Compound (Musqubiya) Detention Center (Jerusalem).
Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)
All the women political prisoners participated in the political prisoners' hunger strike that took place on 7, 17, and 27 April. On 27 April, the prison authorities punished the women for their participation: they prohibited them from buying in the canteen for one month and shortened the recreation time from 3 hours a day to 1 hour a day.
In April 2010 parliament (Knesset) member Hanin Zuabi visited women political prisoner in Hasharon Prison.
Muntha 'Abed Tawil
, an administrative detainee, 44 years old, from elBira, was arrested on 8 February 2010. The Israeli authorities extended her administrative detention order to an additional two months.
Irena Sarahna,
from Dehaishe Refugee Camp, Bethlehem district, was arrested on 23 May 2002. In May 2010, she met her husband who is also a political prisoner, after she had not seen him for about a year.
The prison authorities allowed the meeting only behind a glass partition, and they could talk only by telephone.
Released prisoners
Iman Nazal,
22 years old, from Qalqilya, was arrested on 15 March 2010 and released on bail on 21 April 2010.
'Ayshah Nazal-Sabri,
39 years old, from Qalqilya, was arrested on 15 March 2010 and released on bail on 21 April 2010.
Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain)
On 7 April the prison authorities punished the women for their participation in the political prisoners' hunger strike: they forbade them from buying in the canteen for about one month, shortened the recreation time from 3 hours a day to 1 hour a day and prohibited one family visit in May 2010.
Suad Nazal,
24 years old, from Qalqilya, was arrested on 23 August 2009. She suffers from problems in her jaw, and there was a court decision that the prison authorities must give her medical treatment. She still has not received any medical treatment.
Amal Jum'ah,
from 'Askar Refugee Camp, Nablus district, was arrested on 9 May 2004. In March 2010 she was in a hospital where she underwent surgery to remove her uterus, and now she is recovering. Until mid-May 2010 the prison authorities did not take her for follow-up examination in hospital. She asked a prison physician about this, and he told her that she would not be taken to follow-up examination.
Wafaa elBis,
from Jebalya Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip, was arrested on 20 June 2005. In April 2010, after she was held for about 8 months in separation in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle), she was transferred to Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain).
Sentence
Nasreen Abu Zina, 25 years old, from Tulkarem, was arrested on 18 August 2009. On 22 April 2010, she was sentenced to 34 months' imprisonment.
Russian Compound (Musqubiya) Detention Center (Jerusalem)
Advocate Shirin 'Isawi,
30 years old, from Jerusalem, was arrested on 21 April 2010 at Qalandiya Checkpoint (an Israeli checkpoint). She is under interrogation about her work with prisoners.
The interrogations last for hours, day and night. At times she is held in the interrogation room for many hours but is not asked any questions; the interrogator just sits in front of her writing or reading. All the while she is handcuffed with her hands tied behind the chair.
She is held in a cell without windows, the light is on day or night; several times the prison authorities put off the light for hours, and then it is completely dark.
The Public Committee against Torture visited her and took an affidavit. The Red Cross also visited her.
Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle)
Defence for Children International Palestine Section reported that, on 30 April 2010, a 16-year-old girl (S.J.) from Ramallah was detained at Anata Checkpoint (an Israeli checkpoint) near Jerusalem, and detained at Neve Tirza Prison. She was charged with possessing a knife and sentenced by a military court, on 6 May, to seven days' imprisonment and a fine of NIS 1,000.
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