Israel’s detention policies against Palestinians a violation of International Law

Israel’s decades-long policy of detaining Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza inside Israeli jails, and depriving them of family visits, is “cruel” and a violation of international law, Amnesty International has said.

There are currently 6,500 Palestinian prisoners, including at least 300 children, detained in Israeli-run prisons and detention facilities. Most are being held on security-related grounds and are considered political prisoners by Palestinians.

“Israel’s ruthless policy of holding Palestinian prisoners arrested in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in prisons inside Israel is a flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said.

“Israeli authorities must stop imposing excessive restrictions on visitation rights as a means of punishing prisoners and their families, and ensure that conditions fully meet international standards.” The comments from Amnesty International come as Palestinian prisoners prepare for a mass hunger strike next week to mark Palestinian Prisoner’s Day on April 17.
Read full report from Al Bawaba News
http://www.albawaba.com/news/israels-detention-policies-against-palestinians-violation-international-law-962942