Palestinian Prisoners Day commemorates prisoners release from Israeli custody in 1971

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Israeli Prisons Hold Nearly 10,000 Palestinians

On April 17, Palestinians around the world commemorate Palestinian Prisoner’s Day to raise awareness about the plight of thousands of men, women, and children held in Israeli prisons. According to the prisoners’ rights group Addameer, nearly 10,000 Palestinians are currently being detained in Israel and occupied territory.

A new death penalty law recently passed by Israel targets Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. The measure has been criticized by human rights groups, who argue that it violates international law and is discriminatory. The United Nations human rights chief has described the law as a possible “war crime.”

Administrative detention, a policy held by Israel to detain Palestinians without charge or trial for six-month periods, affects more than one-third of those in custody. Critics argue that the system is widely abused and denies due process.

Children are also being detained in Israeli prisons, with 342 currently held as of early April. According to child rights groups, arrested children are often subjected to physical and psychological torture during interrogation without parental or lawyer presence.

Palestinian prisoners are tried and sentenced in military courts rather than civilian courts. The new law allows for the imposition of the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of “terror.” However, Jewish Israelis convicted of similar crimes will not face the same penalty.

The Palestinian Authority has condemned the bill as a “war crime against the Palestinian people,” while human rights groups have pointed out that it violates international law and guarantees for fair trials. The law is set to take effect by the end of April and applies to Palestinians from the West Bank who are tried in Israeli military courts.

Source: Al Jazeera