33-year-old Palestinian detainee Osama Mohamed Ali al-Ashqar from Tulkarem has entered his 15th year of detention in Israeli jails.
Spokesman for Palestine Prisoners Center for Studies Reyad al-Ashqar said detainee al-Ashqar had been chased down by the Israeli occupation forces for a couple of years before he was kidnapped on November 14 2002 in an ambush set up in Tulkarem province.
He is currently serving five life-sentences and 50 years in Israeli jail on charges of involvement in anti-occupation operations against Israeli targets.
The detainee has been subjected to harsh torture and intensive interrogation for over a couple of months.
Prior to his detention al-Ashqar was hit with five bullets and missile shrapnel in an Israeli army assault on Tulkarem refugee camp in 2002.
The detainee has been held in an isolated cell before he was sentenced to life. He has also been banned from being visited by his jailed brothers whom he met behind prison bars under the security pretext.
Despite the harsh psycho-physical torture which he has been subjected to in Israeli jails al-Ashqar earned his baccalaureate degree with an honor. He learned English French and Hebrew and wrote several articles while in prison.
