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>From: "Corinna Hasofferet" <[log in to unmask]> >To: "Corinna Hasofferet" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Forwarded by Corinna for your kind consideration re >PalestinianDetained Prisonerst >Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 08:21:41 +0200 >X-Priority: 3 > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: <[log in to unmask]> >To: readers7 <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 11:52 PM >Subject: Palestinian Political Prisoners - Action Alert > > >| Dear Friends, >| >| Unfortunately, I must start off this year with an action alert related to >| the issue of Palestinian political prisoners. Not only do the Israelis >| continue to arbitrarily arrest Palestinians under some self-declared >| guise of collecting "wanted persons", but as many of you may have >| read last week, collective punishment and collective humiliation is >| now being applied inside the jails and detention centers. The latest >| actions were at the Ofer Detention Center located on the outskirts of >| Ramallah where over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are living in >| outdoor tents (it is winter here) were attacked by armed Israeli units >| with tear gas and water cannons within the detention center itself. >| Remember, these are mostly political prisoners that are in arbitrary >| detention (called by Israel, "Administrative Detention") not charged >| with anything and are unable to see their families or have their rights >| as defined in the Fourth Geneva Conventions. I have many friends >| in this detention center and we have not heard if any have been hurt >| in this latest round of organized violence. >| >| Also, a few days ago you may have read the latest rergarding the >| Israeli civil trail of Palestinian Legislative Council Member Mr. >| Marwan Barghouti where he was wresteled to the courtroom floor >| and ejected from the courtroom for raising his handcuffed hands to >| the media. See: >| http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030102/168/2yqqj >| .html and http://www.freebarghouti.org/. >| >| In addition to the general need to call for better conditions for >| prisoners and the end to the Israeli policy of political detention of >| Palestinians, there are two cases, in specific, one old and one new, >| that require your immediate action: >| >| 1. Those of you on this list last year will recall Mr. Haytham Salah >| Husni Hammouri, Jerusalem ID# 080053762, Date of Birth: March >| 28, 1963, Employer: YMCA, Position: Program Manager, >| Community Development Program. Haytham's first court >| appearance since his arrest on Oct 11, 2002 will be this Thursday, >| Jan 9, 2003. Haytham is being held as an "Administrative Prisoner," >| which means he is not charged with any wrongdoing, whatsoever. >| He has missed Ramadan, Christmas and New Year's Day and his >| wife and three daughters need him home now, especially with the >| growing fear that the US war on Iraq will complicate life in Palestine. >| Haytham's wife Malak is luckily able to visit Haytham and if anyone >| would like to send him or her a message you can send directly to >| Malak at [log in to unmask] >| >| Please send a message of appeal to the addresses below and your >| local official Israeli representative office asking/demanding Haytham >| be released and be allowed to return to his YMCA job in East >| Jerusalem where he is also desperately needed. If possible, >| please ask your local YMCA to send a letter calling for the release >| of their colleague in East Jerusalem. >| >| 2. The second case is a new one and relates to the husband of my >| company's marketing manager. Upon my return from the US >| yesterday, I was saddened to learn that Mr. Ibrahem Abed Al-Qader >| Abu-Hijley, Palestinian ID # 410450720, Date of Birth July 20, 1958, >| was arrested on 31/12/2002 from his office in Ramallah and his >| whereabouts were unknown until today! His wife, Thaira Karaja, >| who serves as my marketing manager, learned today (Jan 6, 2003) >| that he is now at Al-Jalmeh Prison outside Hafia, Israel. This prison >| is well-known for its difficult conditions and interrogation facilities. >| Mr. Abu-Hijley is a political activist with one of the PLO political >| organizations and was taken from his office in downtown Ramallah. >| His office is registered with the Palestinian Authority and works in >| full visibility. Furthermore, Mr. Abu-Hijley is a political returnee who >| came back home as part of the Oslo agreement and with approval >| of Israel, as was the case for all those that were allowed to return >| (many were not given approval and remain outside of Palestine till >| today). Mr. Abu-Hijley has never been arrested before and all >| expectations are that he is now undergoing physical torture at this >| Israeli detention center in Israel proper (the 4th Geneva >| Conventions prohibit occupied persons to be removed or >| imprisoned outside the occupied territories, an issue that Israel >| violates regularly as is the case here and with Haytham). Mr. Abu- >| Hijley's wife, Thaira, is crushed and is now trying to deal with >| maintaining her career as well as care for their two boys, Aws, 18, >| and Najed, 10. Aws is studying in Amman and Najed is at home in >| Ramallah. There youngest son has been unable to continue his >| daily routines and has been seriously affected by his father's sudden >| disappearance. >| >| People imprisoned and under torture have no way to defend >| themselves. Their only chance to be less injured is when people of >| conscious take action to let the Israeli authorities know that this >| prisoner is not alone. Please send urgent messages to the persons >| below and to your local official Israeli representative office calling for >| the immediate release of Mr. Abu-Hijley and all political prisoners. >| >| >>>>>>>>>>>> Send Urgent Letters To: >| >| Elyakim Rubinstein, Attorney-General Legal, >| Advisor to the Government >| Ministry of Justice >| Fax: +972 2 628 5438 >| Email: Send via Israel's NY UN mission: [log in to unmask] >| >| Meir Sheetrit, Minister of Justice >| Ministry of Justice >| Fax: +972 2 628 8618 >| E-mail: [log in to unmask] >| >| For E-mail Addresses of Israeli Embassies and Consulates Abroad >| (by country) see: http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH010m0 >| >| >>>>>>>>>>>> >| -- Alison Croggon Home page http://www.users.bigpond.com/acroggon/ Masthead Online http://au.geocities.com/masthead_2/