3 Palestinian women turned away from visiting relative political prisoners at Israeli occupation checkpoint after refusing to undress

Three women prevented turned away at checkpoint after refusing to undress

Date: 13 / 07 / 2008 Time: 17:59
Jenin – Ma'an –

Israeli occupation soldiers on Sunday attempted to force three Palestinian women to undress at Al-Jalama checkpoint, on the Green Line north of Jenin, while travelling to visit their relatives in an Israeli jail.

The sister of Palestinian prisoner Saed Salah, from Jenin, said she headed to Al-Jalama checkpoint in the morning on her way to the Israeli occupation government prison in Asqalan (Israelis call it Ashkelon) to visit her brother, who is serving a 27-year sentence (for resisting the Israeli occupation of his homeland). She entered the checkpoint along with the wives of Yousuf Ata, from Jenin, and Abdul-Fattah Shalabi, from the nearby town of Silat Al-Harithiya, who are both serving long-term sentences. Soldiers manning the checkpoint ordered the three women into a special interrogation room.

According to the first woman, a female soldier, observing the woman through two closed-circuit TV cameras, asked the woman to remove her gown first. Then, she asked her to get completely undressed. The woman refused and requested that the soldier get search her manually, without being undressed.

The soldier refused, giving the woman two choices: either to undress completely, or go home without visiting her brother. She chose the latter.

The woman added that the female soldier did the same with the other two women, who also refused to get undressed. Then the soldiers detained all three women in a small dark room for an hour and a half before sending them home.

According to the Palestinian prisoner's sister, she was barred from visiting her brother, who has been in Israeli custody for a year and a half.

Palestinian woman denied release after completing 6-year prison sentence

Date: 13 / 07 / 2008 Time: 17:00
Hebron – Ma'an –

Abeer 'Uda from Tulkarem completed her 6-year prison sentence in an Israeli occupation jail on 12 July. Israeli occupation prison services, however, have not set her free.

According to Abeer's Palestinian Prisoners Society lawyer, there has been an administrative order which prevented Abeer's release.

The woman remains in Israeli custody.

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