31 Jordanians still imprisoned by Israel, 25 missing

Sunday October 21, 2007 08:28 by Amin Abuwardah – IMEMC

October 20 marks Jordanian detainees' day. This year, 31 Jordanian people remain imprisoned by Israel, with an additional 25 still missing.

Jordanian detainees in Israeli prisons are perceived as a “forgotten case,” and generally receive less media attention than other political prisoners.

Following the Oslo agreements, Palestinian negotiators repeatedly asked Israel to release Jordanian and Arab detainees, a request subsequently denied by Israel.
Arab detainees do not have visitation rights and their families are prevented from entering Israeli territory or the occupied Palestinian territories.

Arab detainees do not receive any financial or psychological support from the Palestinian Authority.

The Nafha Society, which defends the rights of the detainees in Israeli prisons and detention facilities, stated that Arab governments are to be held responsible for the conditions these detainees face, especially since such governments failed to secure the release of these persons when peace agreements with Israel were signed.

The Nafha society on Saturday branded the continued detention of these persons as illegal, and issues the following list of demands:

1. All detainees must be freed in accordance to the Geneva Conventions and the signed peace agreements.
2. The case of Jordanian detainees in specific, and Arab detainees in general, should be reactivated, on the political, diplomatic and public levels.
3. The families should be allowed to visit their detained family members through arrangement conducted by the Red Cross and Arab embassies.
4. Israel should be pressured to reveal information regarding the fate of missing Palestinian, Jordanian and Arab residents.
5. All detainees must be allowed to phone their families.
6. All detainees are political prisoners, the Israeli attempts to label them as criminal prisoners should be exposed.

Translated by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

arab world | prisoners | news report saed at imemc dot org