*The occupation authorities extend the detention of the journalist Rasha Herzallah for five days*
June 6, 2024
Ramallah- The military court of the occupation in Salem extended the detention of the journalist Rasha Herzallah, (39) from Nablus, for five days to file an indictment under the charge of “incitement on social media “, as called by the occupation authorities.
The intelligence service of the occupation summoned the journalist Herzallah, the sister of the martyr Muhammad Herzallah, earlier this week for interrogation in Huwara detention and interrogation center on the charge of incitement. They extended her detention then for 72 hours and she was transferred to Hasharon prison and then to Damoun prison, in which the majority of female detainees are held.
It is worth mentioning that journalist Herzallah is among (80) journalists who were exposed to detention since the beginning of genocide in Gaza, where (49) of them are still detained, including (6) females.
The occupation authorities escalated in journalists detention since the beginning of war, particularly under the administrative detention, which afflicted thousands of citizens ti impose more control and supervision over the journalistic profession, in an attempt to deprive journalists of their rights to freedom of expression and practicing their profession.
Besides the crime of administrative detention, the occupation authorities resorted to detention based on incitement on social media , which have turned from platforms of freedom of expression into a cause for targeting journalists and Palestinians in general. Indictments filed against journalists on incitement showed that the occupation authorities intended to chase journalists based on their journalistic profession without any legal justification. Journalists detained in Israeli prisons face the retaliatory measures imposed on detainees, in addition to torture, humiliation, starvation, medical crimes and degrading detention conditions.
*Issued by the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Society Prisoner’s Club*
Women detainees held in Damoun prison face extremely difficult conditions
June 5, 2024
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs stated that women detainees held in Damoun prison are facing difficult conditions due to systemic acts of torture and assault.
The Commission emphasized, according to the attorney’s visit, that women detainees are exposed to the most harsh physical and psychological torture, and isolated from the outside world due to confiscating TVs, radios and newspapers.
The commission illustrated that penalties imposed on detainees since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza have afflicted women detainees in terms of details and brutality. For instance, the prison’s administration intended to reduce the quantity of food, close the canteen, prevent family visits, reduced clothes, covers and cleaning supplies, in addition to reducing the time specified for bathing and going to the prison’s courtyard. The commission pointed out in its statement that the prison’s administration practiced beat and torture against women detainees held in Damoun prison, and intended to handcuff and blindfold them in a brutal manner during interrogation, on their way to the clinic or during the lawyer’s visit.
The commission condemned the seriousness of these practices and called on Human Rights organizations to fulfill their obligations to save the lives of women detainees to prevent them being victims of this organized crime which escalates day by day without any accountability.
*Detainee Wafa Jarrar undergoes a surgery in Affula Hospital to amputate a large part of her legs*
*The occupation government exacerbates the crime and sentences her to administrative detention*
May 27, 2024
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Society Prisoner’s Club stated that detainee Wafa Zuhdi Jarrar, (49 years old), is undergoing a surgery to amputate large parts of her legs, due to the injury she had following her arrest by the occupation forces on May 21.
While Jarrar is encountering serious health condition, as she is still under the effect of sedation and uses respirator since transferring her to the hospital, the Israeli occupation authorities exacerbated their crime and sentenced her to 4 months of administrative detention, in the light of the continuous escalation of administrative detention crime, which afflicted thousands of our people. The commission and the prisoner’s club confirmed that the occupation authorities delayed providing her attorney and family with a detailed report on her case, which increases doubts over the occupation’s narrative on the causes of her injury. Jarrar was detained on May 21, following the break into her house in Jenin during the last military operation carried out by the Israeli army in Jenin and its camps. The detention process was accompanied by stealing gold and money from her house, in addition to intimidation, threats and vandalism to house’s belongings. It is noteworthy that Jarrar is the wife of detainee Abduljabbar Jarrar, 58, from Jenin, detained since February 2024, and this is her first detention. By transferring detainee Jarrar to administrative detention, the number of female detainees sentenced to administrative detention in Israeli prisons rises to 26, among 80 other female detainees. The Commission and the prisoner’s club call on international human rights organizations to fulfill its commitments in the light of the genocide ongoing for about 8 months in Gaza with support of international powers. They alao called the terrible state of inaction towards the crimes of occupation with its unprecedented intensity since the beginning of onslaught, including the systematic crimes committed against detainees in Israeli prisons, notably torture and starvation. There are currently more than (9300) detainees held in Israeli prisons until May 2024, including more than (3400) administrative detainees.
*Vindictive practices and cruel detention conditions experienced by female detainees in Damoun Prison*
May 13, 2024
The Commission of Detainees’ Affairs stated in a report issued today that female detainees held in Damoun Prison are living in a state of isolation, in the light of the daily suffering imposed on them, as the IPS practices all forms of abuse and torture against them.
The Commission revealed, according to its lawyer’s visit to Damoun Prison, a series of cruel measures, details of daily suffering and complicated living conditions, represented in separation from the outside world due to confiscating TVs and radios. Moreover, there is a shortage in females’ requirements and other necessities in order to cause psychological distress and affect their national and humanitarian status.
The report showed many aspects of the unlimited procedures pursued by the IPS against them, represented in depriving them of writing anything, as they do not provide papers and pens in prison’s sections. Furthermore, the duration of going to the prison’s courtyard is 40-60 minutes at its finest. In a related context, the commission documented a cruel detention experience for detainee (H.S), who has been arrested after invading her house and causing a state of tension among her family members and children. They handcuffed and blindfolded her and moved her to interrogation center, where she was exposed to the most cruel curses, insults and severe beating. She remained there for two hours in a dirty stinky cell, then she was transferred to Damoun prison and exposed to additional hour of investigation before being brought to the section.
The Commission pointed out that the general situation of all detainees is extremely dangerous and worrying, and called on international organizations to save detainees’ lives and not leaving them as victims to these vindictive procedures, which increase day by day.
*Note: The Commission avoids sharing names of female detainees who have been visited to ensure not being punished.*
Insults and retaliation against Palestinian women detainees in Damoun prison
May 9, 2024
The advocate of the commission was able to visit Damoun prison and met with a number of women detainees held there, who expressed the extent of daily suffering imposed on them, offenses, violation of their privacy and torture practiced against them.
The Commission emphasized that Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons are living in a state of isolation, as jailers intended to take revenge. They are cursed and insulted constantly and separated from the world outside due to confiscating TVs, radios and newspapers. There are constant attempts to affect their mental health and break down their national and humane content.
The Commission pointed out that sanctions imposed against detainees since October 7 have afflicted women detainees, where all electrical devices have been confiscated, poor quality and quantity of food is served, deprivation of family visits, lack of clothes, covers and feminine essentials. Furthermore, the IPS intended to pollute the water and determine the hours of bathing and the break in the prison’s courtyard.
The Commission confirmed that the IPS practiced brutal measures represented in intense beat, torture, handcuff and blindfold during interrogation or on they way to clinic, advocate visit and transfer. Moreover, they are subjected to strip search, threats of rape, hair pulling, dragging on the ground , besides being filmed in difficult and traumatic conditions.
The commission indicated that the general situation of women detainees is worrying and disturbing, and we call on International and Arabic feminine organizations to do justice to the Palestinian women especially detainees, and not leaving them as victims of the organized Israeli criminality, which is increasing day by day in the light of the dishonorable international silence, noting that the number of Palestinian women held in Damoun prison stands at (81) .
The Israeli occupation continues to chase and arrest liberated women detainees
April 7, 2024
The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs called on international, regional and local feminists organizations, unions and societies working on women affairs to save Palestinian women from the Israeli targeting.
The Commission emphasized that invading the houses of liberated detainees became a firm manner pursued on a daily basis, where the Israeli army is trying to achieve retaliatory policies and taking revenge from Palestinians women and girls, depending beating, house vandalism and humiliation, without taking into consideration their privacy.
The Commission condemned the policy of chasing liberated detainees, the last of which was carried out today’s morning, as occupation forces invaded Ramallah and Birzeit village, arresting the liberated detainees Layan Kayed and Layan Naser, students in Birzeit University.
The Commission expressed its hope on establishing a feminist mobilization to support Palestinian women and expose the crimes committed against them by the occupation, and to practice pressure against governments and parliaments to take responsibility towards denying women’s rights in Palestine.
Recently, there was an escalation in arresting Palestinian women and girls, where they got detained based on a retaliatory tendencies, and used as hostages. It is worth mentioning that there are currently (81) women detained in Israeli prisons, the majority of them are held in Damoun prison in difficult and complicated health conditions.
