22-12-2013, under the title of “Behind Prison Bars, the stories Born”, the PYAN advocacy team of the House of Wisdom Institute organized a meeting with a free prisoner Ayman Al-Sharawna.
From the House of Wisdom Mr. Mohammad Abu Sa’da welcomed the guest and the attendants from Palestinian universities, and said that this meeting is not to listen to stories from a free prisoner but to look into the real suffering of the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails.
Mr. Ayman began his speech giving statistics on the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails, he said that there are more than 5000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, 1200 of them are suffering from chronic illnesses and 28 prisoners are cancer patients. Mr. Ayman added that there are more than 16 Palestinian officials among the prisoners – ministers, MPs and local officials -, there are 236 children under the age of 18 in the Israeli jails, and there are more than 550 prisoners sentenced to life. Mr. Ayman clarified that the life sentence in Israeli jails is 99 years not 25 years.
Mr. Ayman mentioned that the Israeli authorities are torturing the prisoners on daily basis and depriving them from most of their rights according to the international laws and standards.
Mr. Ayman noted that the media and telecommunication was important tools to speak with the families, he said that in certain times the prisoners managed to have a mobile which cost more than 40000 Shekel (NIS) – 11500 $ -, because it is not allowed and the prisoners smuggled it.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Ayman confirmed that not only the prisoners who are suffering but their families too.
