Ahrar: Israel blocking prisoner from seeing his little daughter

[ 08/05/2011 - 09:22 AM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- The Israeli judiciary turned down an appeal by Palestinian prisoner Abdullah Al-Barghouthi to let him see his little daughter, the Ahrar center for prisoners' studies and human rights said.

The center's director, Fuad Al-Khafsh, said in a statement on Saturday that Barghouthi has been deprived of seeing his relatives including wife and offspring since his detention on 5/3/2003. He recalled that his youngest daughter was only 35 days old on the date of his arrest.

The Israeli intelligence refused to allow any visits for his relatives even a "silent visit" meaning that they would meet without speaking to each other, Khafsh said, noting that Barghouthi was held in isolation ever since the end of interrogation with him.

The director slammed the Israeli pretexts for the visitation ban as "trivial" and "worthless", opining that Israel was pressuring Barghouthi for receiving the longest prison term in the history of the Palestinian struggle. Barghouthi is serving 66 life sentences.

Khafsh noted that the Palestinian prisoners have started protests against the policy of solitary confinement in the hope of cancelling it.

He urged human rights groups and international organizations to support the prisoners' strikes and demands against the Israeli prison service.

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