Palestinian Prisoners' Day Solidarity Message from the IPSC

On Palestinian Prisoners' Day 2020, Fatin Al Tamimi, Chairperson of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign delivers a message of solidarity to the 1000's of Palestinian political prisoners in Apartheid Israel's jails, including 180 children, facing a grave threat from Covid19. April 17 is Palestinian Prisoners Day, the day of international solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners in Apartheid Israel’s jails. This year, there are more than 5,000 political prisoners incarcerated by apartheid regime, including more than 180 children, over 40 women and 430 people interned without charge or trail. Not only do all of them face the very grave threat of the Covid-19 virus spreading in such enclosed spaces, they also face the problem of widespread medical negligence by Israeli prison authorities. As of March this year, Israel holds some 5000 political captives, including more than 180 children, over 40 women and 430 people interned without charge or trail. Medical negligence is used systematically and deliberately by Israeli prison services, and scores have died in prison as a result. As the occupying power, Israel has the legal obligation to provide proper medical care and protection to our prisoners – and all Palestinians under occupation – from coronavirus, and failure to do so, poses a direct risk to their health and is a violation of their basic human rights. Today there are around 700 prisoner suffering from serious medical conditions, and around 40 suffer from acute illnesses like cancer. For many of these, the Coivd-19 in the prisons could be a death sentence. We demand the immediate release of all Palestinian political prisoners, especially the children and those more vulnerable to covid-19 virus such as the elderly, the seriously ill and those with compromised immune systems. Free Palestine and free all Palestinian Political Prisoners!