There are, at present, about 65 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: about 30 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), about 32 in Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain), and the rest in several detention centers.
Family visits
Since more than a year all family members of all the prisoners from the Gaza Strip have been prohibited from visits in Israeli jails because of the siege that Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain)
The condition in the cells
In winter it is very cold, and on rainy days the water penetrates into the cells. The upper part of the door are bars so that the wind blows into the cells. The duty officer who is keeping the prison log book is seated in front of one of the women's cells, enabling him to look at the prisoners inside the cell.
Nidaa elDarbas,
20 years old, from Jerusalem, was arrested on 5 May 2007. The prison authorities prohibit her father from visiting her.
Shereen Hasan,
from Bethlehem, was arrested on 4 July 2006. The parole board refused her request for early release after she had served two thirds of her term.
Niveen Daka,
from Bet Sahur, was arrested on 4 July 2006. The parole board refused her request for early release after she had served two thirds of her term.
Women and girls under administrative detention
Salwa Salah and Sara Siureh,
both 17 years old, from Bethlehem district, are administrative detainees who were arrested on 5 June 2008. On 2 November 2008, the Military Judge at Ofer Military Court rejected the appeal to reduce the administrative detention order.
Addameer press release 3/11/2008 (Addameer: Arabic for conscience, prisoners support and human rights)
Samira (Haniya) 'Abed Yusef Abu Shamalah,
an administrative detainee, 46 years old, from Y'abed, Jenin district, was arrested on 3 March 2008. The military court rejected her appeal against the administrative detention.
Releases
Suna elRa'i,
from Qalqilya, was arrested on 13 April1997 and released on 26 October 2008. She had been in prison for nearly 12 years, and all these years her family members were prohibited from visiting her, except for a few times when one of them got a permission for a one-time visit.
Alaa Hajayja,
23 years old, from Ramallah, was arrested on 5 December 2006 and released in October 2008.
Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond)
The condition in the cells
On 1 December 2008 "Mandela Institute for Human Rights" submitted a plea to the High Court. The plea was based on the affidavits that WOFPP took from women political prisoners about their suffering caused by the permanent window coverings in the cells. The prisoners stated that there is lack of air, no daylight, unbearable heat in summer and dampness in winter.
The cells are infested with large numbers of insects; the prison authorities sprayed them but to no avail.
Health care
Since more than a month there is no physician in the prison, and the medical team consists only of a male nurse. The women prisoners do not get the medicines that they need.
Yusef elSadeq Association (prisoners support association) sent a private dentist to the prison, and he took care of prisoners' dental problems.
Sanabel Nabagh Breek,
19 years old, from Nablus, a law student in elNajah University, was arrested on 22 September 2008. She endured interrogations in Petah Tiqva detention center. During interrogation her hands were tied behind her body. In October 2008, she was transferred to Hasharon Prison. In November 2008, she was taken from prison to a session in court. During this journey she suffered from the wardens' harsh attitude: They handcuffed her too tightly; one warden pushed Sanabeel to the wall, and her nose and forehead were hit.
Rima Rajab Tabal,
23 years old, from Tulkarem, a teacher, was arrested on 24 September 2008 and brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalameh). She was held there in a very dirty cell without windows. After she endured interrogations she was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
New prisoners
Arselin Yaakub
was arrested on 7 August 2008 and subjected to interrogations in Kishon Detention Center (Jalame), then was transferred to Hasharon Prison.
Releases
'Etaf 'Alian,
44 years old, from Ramallah, was arrested on 22 December 2005 and released on 23 October 2008.
More about 'Etaf 'Alian
Israa 'Amarna,
23 years old, from Dahaishe Refugee Camp, Bethlehem district , was arrested on 5 February 2008 and released on 26 November 2008.
Hiam Wahadan,
from Ramallah, arrested on 28 November 2006, was released on 28 October 2008.
Khulud elMasri,
an administrative detainee from Nablus, member of the Municipality Council, was arrested on 15 July 2008 and released on 27 November 2008.
Suzan elHaj Saleh,
17.5 years old, a student in secondary school, was arrested on 30 September 2008 and brought to Kishon Detention Center (Jalameh) where she was held in harsh conditions: The cell was dirty and infested with insects, and there were four lamps turned on 24 hours a day. After Suzan endured interrogations she was transferred to Hasharon Prison and sentenced to 35 days imprisonment and a fine of 500 NIS.
Ramle Prison
Darlene Wallach,
57 years old, from San Jose, California, USA. On 18 November the Israeli army arrested her with 17 others on three Palestinian fishing vessels plying Gaza's coastal waters. Darlene, with two other international human rights activists, accompanied 15 Palestinian fishermen. They hoped that their presence would provide protection from the frequent harassment the Palestinian fishermen receive from the Israeli navy.
Darlene was held at Ramle Prison in the immigrants' wing, and on 27 November 2008 was deported to the US.
Due to the recent transfer of women prisoners to Damoon Prison, WOFPP's lawyer has to visit more prisons more frequently. We are therefore in need of financial help.
We thank you for any donation to
Women's Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP)
Account number 260643
BIC (swift): POALILITA.
BANK HAPOALIM
BRANCH 532
Daniel Frisch St. 3
Tel Aviv 64078, ISRAEL
Address of the person to receive the contribution:
Hava Keller
Frug Street 30
Tel Aviv 63417, ISRAEL