Family members of Palestinian prisoners protest against denials of visits

tubas2Families of Palestinian prisoners protested in Tubas on Tuesday, demanding action by Palestinian officials and institutions of the international community to ensure their right to visit their children, husbands, wives, and parents in Israeli prisons. Some of the participants have been denied family visits for years due to being denied permits on the pretext of “security,” while others have been barred from visiting since last June.

The demonstration was organized by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society in Tubas, whose director, Mahmoud Sawafta, said that in the past few months, the occupation has escalated its policy of repression against the prisoners, including denying family visits, denying them access to Arabic satellite channels, restricting access to the canteen, in addition to the ongoing policy of medical neglect and delay in treatment. He noted that the denial of family visits is a form of collective punishment of Palestinian families.