UFree: Human Rights NGOs must access secret Israeli prisons Read

An independent European human rights network based in Europe, Norway to defend the Rights of Palestinian Prisoners called on the International community to stop Israeli policy of arrests against Palestinians. The organization known as UFree said that the plight of those prisoners should end as we commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Palestinian 'Nakba' (catastrophe).

For almost 63 years, since the Nakba in 1948; thousands of Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes and lands. Around 531 villages and towns were destroyed. Following the Nakba, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were arrested either individually or in mass as they resisted Israeli occupiers. Whilst, their plight has been ignored by the international community.

Since then, Israel has honed its policy of detention and torture against Palestinian civilians; it has opened more prisons, used arbitrary detention and internationally banned physical and mental methods of extracting information from prisoners.

According to statistics by International and Palestinian organisations, the number of Palestinian detainees has gone from 800 in 1948 to nearly 5,800 in 2011, including 36 women and 245 innocent children. Israeli policy of arrests commenced in the first days of the occupation of Palestine in 1948 to eliminate the spirit of resistance among the Palestinian people. It aimed and still to force them to accept their de facto.

Yet, Israeli occupation authorities have failed to subjugate them. It has used cruel and inhuman methods of torture and arbitrary arrests. Israeli occupation authorities continue to use tactics of mass arrests, solitary confinement, denial of medical treatment for chronic diseases and even practiced medical testing on Palestinian detainees.

International community must work towards taking actions towards Israel as it continues to violate many accords. Lately, it has kidnapped a Palestinian resident from UKRAINE which is totally illegal and violate the sovereignty of a European country.

Additionally, Israel imprisoned over 1.6 Palestinians in Gaza on what's known the biggest air prison in the world. Israeli's siege on Gaza continues to collectively punish normal civilians were they lack basic necessities, freedom of movement and basic human rights guaranteed by International Humanitarian accords and charters.

" We urge the international community to deal fairly with the issue of Palestinian prisoners. It should take practical steps against Israel’s use of torture and policy of arbitrary arrests and to give Palestinian detainees their full rights under international law. We also call for pressure on Israel to end the siege of Gaza and to fulfill her obligations under the Geneva Convention." Said the organisation

UFree said that there is steady increase in the number of prisoners per prisons, overcrowding women and children, patients and others which is illegal by all laws. Meanwhile, methods of physical and psychological torture against prisoners, violating all aspects of international law have been developed. The organization confirmed that Israel has endangered the lives of prisoners by deliberately refusing to provide medical treatment to those with chronic diseases.

Flagrantly, field tests of for new medicines on Palestinian detainees, uncovered by Israeli human rights organisations. UFree pressed on the fact that Israel should be treated like all other countries that violate international and Human laws. It has called on the European Union and International community to take real actions like suspending joint trade agreements as well as other partnership until Israel is obliged to change its policy.

It is worth mention that Israel has a number of secret prison facilities for Palestinians. It continues to deny these facts neither it allows allow Human Rights organizations to investigate these places. These facilities are distributed across occupied Palestine and lack basic conditions for human habitation.