There are, at present, about 85 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: about 75 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), 3 in Kishon Detention Center (Jalame), 1 in Neve Tirza Prison (Ramle) and the rest in several detention centers.
Studies
The matriculation exams (Tawjihi) will take place in July 2008. Until now (end of May 2008) the prisoners do not know if the prison authorities will allow them to participate in the matriculation. Only in mid-May did the prison authorities permit to let the books into the prisons.
Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)
Letters
Recently, when women political prisoners were released, the prison authorities took from them all the letters that they had received during their prison term. All these letters had been censored by the prison authorities before the prisoners received them.
Clothes
A team from The International Committee of the Red Cross brought clothes to those women political prisoners whose family members are all prohibited from visiting them.
Health
Recently, "Mandela Institute", an organization that is based in Ramallah, sent some private physicians to visit women political prisoners. The physicians examined prisoners and prescribed some medication. The prisoners are still waiting to get the medication.
Khaula Zitawi, from Jam'ain, Nablus district, was arrested on 25 January 2007 and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Until now, the parole board refused her early release (according to the regulations, every prisoner has the right to request early release after he/she has served two thirds of the prison term).
On July 2008, her daughter Ghada, who is staying with her, will be two years old; by that time they will be separated (According to the prison regulations, at this age children are not allowed to remain with their mothers). Khaula wrote to the prison authorities demanding to permit her daughter to stay with her until her release.
WOFPP's lawyer, Taghreed Jahshan, has sent the same request.
Kaula's husband is also a political prisoner in an Israeli prison in the Negev.
Fathmah elZuk, from Gaza, mother of 8 children, was arrested in May 2007. Her son Yusef, 5 months old, is staying with her. Her family members are prohibited from visiting her, like all family members of all the prisoners from the Gaza Strip, because of the siege that Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip. Fathmah asked that The International Committee of the Red Cross and human rights organizations act to enable family visits.
Du'a elJayusi, 26 years old, was arrested on 7 May 2002. She wants to study in correspondence in Arabic language but the prisoners in Israeli jails are prohibited from doing such studies.
Khulud Mansur, 22 years old, from Kufur Qalil, was arrested on 17 February 2005. The parole board has rejected her demand for early release, though she has served two thirds of her sentence.
Women under administrative detention orders
Today there are five women administrative detainees: Nura elHashlamon, Su'ad elShyukhy, Muna Q'adan, Dr. Maryam Salah and Samira Shamalah.
Dr. Maryam Salah, from elBira, 55 years old, a member of the Palestinian Parliament, was arrested on 12 November 2007. On 6 March, the Israeli authorities extended her administrative detention order until 15 June 2008. Her husband, 63 years old, is prohibited from visiting her.
In April 2008, Israeli soldiers entered her house in elBira and took books, copybooks and her hard disk.
Muna Q'adan, 36 years old, from 'Arabe, Jenin district, an administrative detainee, was arrested on 2 August 2007. The Israeli authorities have extended her administrative detention.
More about Muna Q'adan
Su'ad elShyukhy, 21 years old, from Jerusalem, an administrative detainee, was arrested on 8 February 2007. Her administrative detention has been extended several times.
Nura elHashlamon, from Hebron, mother of six, an administrative detainee, was arrested on 17 September 2006. On 15 April, she was transferred back to Hasharon Prison.
More about Nura elHashlamon
New Prisoners
Nahil Zaqarna, 30 years old, from Qabatiya.
Su'ad Arziqat, 21 years old, from Hebron district, a student in the Open University, was arrested on 8 April 2008.
Sumoud 'Abdalla. Two of her sisters were political prisoners.
Releases
Maha 'Awuad, from Nablus, 21 years old, was arrested on 10 November 2004 and released on 22 May 2008.
Lina Hadaida, from Tulkarem Refugee Camp, was arrested on 10 September 2005 and released on 21 May 2008.
Faiza Fude, from 'Aka, was arrested on 24 October 2006 and released on 20 April 2008.
Hanadi Samir Kan'aan was arrested on 21 March 2008 and released on bail of 9000 NIS at the beginning of May 2008. Until 1 May she was held in Petah Tiqva Detention Center, and for about three weeks she was prohibited from meeting a lawyer.
Dina Tahsin Nimer 'Isa elTirawi, 23 years old, a student, from Balata refugee camp, arrested on 21 March 2008, was released on bail of 5000 NIS at the beginning of May.
Neve Tirza Prison
Mariam elTarabin, 20 years old, from Jericho, was arrested on 23 January 2005. She is held in isolation in very harsh conditions. She is kept 23 hours a day in a very small cell in the wing of the criminal prisoners and forbidden to talk with any other prisoner. She is allowed one hour's recreation time only each day.