Arab Organization for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) revealed Monday that Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails are being held under inhumane and tragic conditions as part of Israeli policies to deprive prisoners of all the rights they are entitled to under the terms of the Geneva Conventions.
According to the Organization more than 6500 Palestinians are currently being held at 22 Israeli jails including 300 minors and 62 women.
At least 500 of the prisoners are held under the provisions of the so-called “administrative detention” it added noting that more than 248 Palestinians have been administratively held since the start of 2017.
The Organization remarked that it was imperative that the issue of Palestinian prisoners be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) because all of Israel’s oppressive measures against prisoners constitute war crimes and fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC.
The failure of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to file a complaint with the ICC raises a lot of questions about its commitment to the cause AOHR UK said.
The Organization also urged the international community to intervene with Israeli authorities to ensure prisoners’ demands are met and their rights as prisoners of war as guaranteed by international conventions are fully protected.
