Report On The Palestinian Political Prisoners

Tuesday April 17, 2012 13:37 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Marking Palestinian Prisoners Day, the Palestinian Central Census Bureau and the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees issued a joint release revealing that 201 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons since 1967 due to torture, medical negligence, and by use of live ammunition. More than a third of this number have died in Israeli prisons since late 2000. 4,700 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons.

Image By Omayya Joha, an Arab Caricaturist from Palestine

The statement revealed that the year 2007 marked the highest rate of detainees mortality as seven detainees died due to lack of medical attention and treatment, adding that 125 detainees died in Israeli prisons in the period between 1967 and 28 September 2000, the day the second Intifada started.

Israeli soldiers conducted nearly 800,000 arrests between 1967 and the end of March 2012; this includes 70,000 arrests carried out since 28 September 2000.

There are 124 detainees who have been imprisoned by Israel since before the first Oslo agreement was signed in 1993; 50 of them have been imprisoned for over 20 years, and 23 for more than 25 years.

Israeli soldiers have conducted 2,000 arrests since 18 October 2011, with a ratio of 10 arrests per day (18 October 2011 marks the implementation of the first stage of the Shalit prisoner-swap deal).

Approximately 20,000 Palestinians were held under administrative detention without charges since the beginning of 2002; the current number of Administrative Detainees is 320.

527 of the detainees held by Israel were sentenced to a minimum of one life-term, and 822 detainees are currently awaiting trial.

Currently, Israel is holding captive nearly 4,700 detainees in 17 prisons, detention and interrogation centers; this includes 6 women, 185 children and 27 elected legislators.The current number of Administrative Detainees is approximately 320.

Today, March 17, marks Palestinian Prisoner Day, and also marks the first day of an open-ended hunger strike declared by all Palestinian political prisoners imprisoned by Israel.

The detainees are demanding an end to all violations carried out against them and against their families.

palestine | prisoners | news report saed at imemc dot org