MP Mariam Saleh narrates heart breaking stories about women in Israeli jails

[ 01/07/2008 - 03:10 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

MP Mariam Saleh, former minister of women's affairs, who was released recently after seven-month administrative detention, revealed in a press conference held Monday heart breaking stories about the suffering of female prisoners in Israeli jails and the inhuman measures pursued against them by prison administrations.

In the conference which was held by the campaign of solidarity with Palestinian lawmakers on the second anniversary of their abduction, MP Saleh explained that there are 80 female prisoners in Israeli jails including five serving several life sentences and many others sentenced to 20 to 30 years.

The ex-detainee noted that the oldest female prisoner in Israeli jails is Sona Al-Ra'aee who has been locked up for more than 11 years.

Some of the prisoners are mothers who left behind nine or five children without parental care or a breadwinner because their husbands are in Israeli jails as well and some others gave birth to their babies in jails, who are taken away from their mothers when they are two years of age according to the Israeli prison rules, the ex-detainee elaborated.

The ex-detainee says that many imprisoned women suffer chronic diseases, most notably, cancer, arthritis, blood pressure and asthma, adding that some prisoners are deprived from their family visits under many pretexts such as lack of family relationship and security measures.

For her part, the wife of prisoner MP Ahmed Saadat said on behalf of all families of kidnapped lawmakers that the representatives of the Palestinian people are paying the price of the Palestinian democracy and the independent national decision as well as the price of their refusal to comply with the American dictates and legitimize the occupation.

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