The Palestinian National Council, the highest authority of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) held one of its meetings on April 17, 1974, and decided to declare this day, a day of solidarity with all detainees, to support their struggle, and to act in solidarity with the detainees and their constant struggle for freedom.
Since then, April 17 became the Palestinian Prisoners Day marked in Palestine, and in various parts around the world in cooperation with human rights activists.
This year, April 17, comes amidst escalating Israeli violations, increasing abductions of Palestinians in different parts of occupied Palestine, and in every hour of the day or night.
The arrests target every segment of the Palestinian society, while the soldiers have kidnapped since 1967 until April of 2015, around 850.000 Palestinians, including 15.000 women and thousands of children.
According to detailed documentations of the Palestinian Detainees Committee, 6500 Palestinians are still imprisoned by Israel, among them are: 480 detainees sentenced to at least one life term, 200 Children, 24 women including four children, and 14 Legislator and one government minister.
30 detainees are held before the Oslo Accord on 1993, while 16 detainees have been imprisoned for more than 25 years, including Karim Younis and Maher Younis, who were kidnapped 33 years ago.
85 former detainees, who were released under the Shalit Prisoner Swap Agreement, were kidnapped again afterwards; most of them served at least 20 years before the Shalit deal.
Since 2000,Israeli forces carried out more than 85.000 arrests, including 10.000 arrests of children and 1200 women, in addition to 65 former government ministers and legislators, and issued at least 24.000 arbitrary Administrative Detention orders holding thousands without charges or trial.
The Detainees Committee documented 206 deaths, since 1967, among them are 71 who died due to extreme torture, 54 due to lack of medical attention, 74 executed by the soldiers after arresting them, 7 were shot dead by soldiers and prison guards, in addition to dozens died after their release of illnesses and diseases they suffered while imprisoned.
More than 1500 detainees suffer from various diseases and health issues, largely resulting from the lack of medical attention, contaminated cells and rooms, torture and abuse, while 16 of them are contently living in the Ramla Prison Clinic, suffering from paralysis, diseases, and many require surgeries while outside doctors are not allowed to even examine them.
More than 80 detainees have chronic and very serious conditions; 24 of them have different types of cancer, and dozens have physical and mental disabilities.
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18 April 2015 - 09:04
News ID: 684578
Since then, April 17 became the Palestinian Prisoners Day marked in Palestine, and in various parts around the world in cooperation with human rights activists.
