[Other] Alert 30th Jan 2015 - Free Malak al-Khatib - 14 year old Palestinian schoolgirl abducted and caged by Israel
inminds 28 January 2015
DATE: Friday 30th Jan 2015, 3-5pm
LOCATION: G4S HQ, 105 Victoria Street, London (near Victoria Station)
FACEBOOK EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/865850066769822
Malak al-Khatib
28th January 2015, www.inminds.com
Please join us outside the headquarters of British security contractor G4S on friday 30th January at 3pm to protest at the abduction and caging of a 14 year old Palestinian schoolgirl, Malak al-Khatib, by Israel; and at G4S's complicity in the crime by providing security to Israel's Hasharon prison where she is caged.
BACKGROUND
Last week on 22nd January, a traumatised 14 years old Palestinian schoolgirl Malak al-Khatib, shackled and in tears, was sentenced to 2 months imprisonment by an Israeli military court.
ABDUCTION
Malak lives in the Palestinian village of Beitain near Ramallah. She was abducted by Israeli soldiers on 31 December as she left school. Her father described the abduction: "She was leaving school after attending her last exam for the first semester when all of a sudden soldiers jumped at her, handcuffed her hands and took her with them." They blindfolded her.
Last year Israel abducted 1266 Palestinian children - that's one child taken from their parents every 7 hours!
INTERROGATION
40% of the 600 that were taken from Jerusalem alone, were sexually abused by Israeli soldiers during arrest or interrogation. During interrogation 75% of Palestinian children detained by Israel are physically tortured.
Having kidnapped her, the occupation kept her in detention for 23 days during which time she was interrogated and subjected to 'harsh treatment' without any legal representation. Her family was never allowed to see her, and were even prevented from talking to her during the court session. Her mother stated she could not approach her daughter to hug her, or just to talk to her and see how she is doing, as the soldiers and the military judge denied them this basic right.
MILITARY COURT
The occupation accused Malak of throwing stones at an Israeli military vehicle and later added the charge of carrying a sharp object. The United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF report on Children in Israeli Military Detention concludes that Israel is the only country in the world where children are systematically tried in military courts that by definition fall short of providing the necessary guarantees to ensure respect for their rights. The conviction rate in Israeli military courts is an unfathomable 99.7%. The military court at Ofer prison on 22nd January declared Malak guilty and sentenced her to 2 months imprisonment and also ordered her to pay a $1,523 fine.
IMPRISONMENT
Currently Israel is caging 193 Palestinian children in three prisons - 84 children at Ofer prison in the West Bank, 71 children at Megiddo prison in Israel and 38 children in HaSharon prison in Israel. All three prisons are secured by the private British security contractor G4S. The transfer of Palestinian prisoners in to Israel, to HaSharon and Megiddo prisons, is illegal under international law ( a direct contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention). The families of Palestinian prisoners' face many obstacles in obtaining permits to see their imprisoned relatives.
HASHARON PRISON - A MEDIEVAL DUNGEONG4S secured HaSharon Prison
Malak is caged at HaSharon prison. 23 Palestinian female prisoners are currently locked up at HaSharon including 4 young girls. They have reported suffering unbearable cold, the windows of their cells are not well sealed and that they lack the simplest methods of heating. There is an acute shortage of blankets and the prison is preventing prisoners families from bringing warm blankets and cloths from outside.
Malak's father told the Palestinian Information Centre that his daughter's health was worsening due to the extreme cold in Hasharon prison and that she was subjected to punitive measures at the hands of the Israeli jailers.
HaSharon is infamous in its mistreatment of Palestinian women prisoners. Women have had to endure beatings, sexually explicit harassment and sexual violence, and humiliation at the hands of Israeli guards. They are often forced to undergo degrading strip searches during the middle of the night - forced to squat naked and subjected to intrusive internal body searches, for no reason other than as a punitive measure. Women have been beaten and left tied to their bed for a day and a half and not allowed to go to the toilet as punishment for spilling water.
The cells at HaSharon are overcrowded and dirty, and infected with rats and cockroaches. There is a total absence of basic hygiene. Women have even been denied sanitary pads when menstruating. The food is insufficient and often contains insects and worms, at times there is not enough portions for all the women.
VIDEO / PHOTOS FROM OUR LAST PROTEST OUTSIDE G4S - FREE SHIREEN ISSAWI (12 Dec 2014)
Videos:
Global Political Prisoners Day
Free Shireen Issawi
Free Shireen Issawi protest outside G4S CEO's Office (12 Dec 2014)
Free Shireen Issawi protest outside G4S CEO's Office (12 Dec 2014)
Free Shireen Issawi protest outside G4S CEO's Office (12 Dec 2014)
Free Shireen Issawi protest outside G4S CEO's Office (12 Dec 2014)
Free Shireen Issawi protest outside G4S CEO's Office (12 Dec 2014)
LIVE UPDATES DURING PROTEST
We will, inshAllah, be tweeting live from the protest with live photos being uploaded to our twitter and facebook page. So if you can't join us on the day, please help us by sharing the photos as they get uploaded.
https://www.facebook.com/inmindscom
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If you support this activity please share this alert widely, thank you.
JazakAllah,
Abbas Ali
Palestinian Prisoners Campaign
www.inminds.com/caged
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The Palestinian Prisoners Campaign aims to raise awareness for the plight of Palestinian prisoners and build solidarity for their struggle and work towards their freedom. The campaign was launched by Innovative Minds (inminds.com) and the Islamic Human Rights Commission (ihrc.org) on the occasion of Al Quds Day 2012 (on 17th August 2012), since then we have held actions every fortnight in support of Palestinian prisoners, if you can spare two hours twice a month then please join the campaign by coming to the next action.
Source: www.inminds.com
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