West Bank family decries son’s arrest by ‘Palestinian Preventive Security’

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – For 106 days, Palestinian Ahmad Hreish from the West Bank city of Ramallah has languished in a prison in Jericho known locally as “the slaughterhouse,” where Palestinian political detainees are sent and tortured by the forces of the “Palestinian Preventive Security (PPS).”

Hreish’s family shared that their son has been detained by security agencies 14 times since he was 18. The latest instance was on June 6 when he was on his way home with his pregnant wife.

“They were attacked by an armed group wearing black masks. My brother and his wife couldn’t determine their identities. They pointed their firearms at Ahmad, beat him in front of his wife and then arrested him and left her alone in the street,” Hreish’s sister Asmaa shared.

Ahmad was arrested for political reasons, according to Lawyers for Justice, a group focused on human rights issues faced by Palestinians in the occupied territories.

The family alleged that Ahmad was subjected to torture. “We met him for the first time after eight days. His body was full of bruises. He told the judge he was not being interrogated and that he was being subjected to torture all the time,” said Asmaa.

She said her brother was being detained in inhuman conditions and was exposed to physical and mental humiliation by security officers.

After 45 days, the family was allowed to visit Ahmad weekly for 15 minutes in the presence of security officers.

“There is a glass panel separating us. Every single word we say, the officers know it. They humiliated my mother when she asked Ahmad about the place of his detention and the conditions of life in prison,” she added.

Ahmad has also been kept by Israel many times in administrative detention, the latest from January to August 2021.

One month ago, he became a father for the first time, and was looking forward to seeing his newly-born baby.

“Despite all our demands to release Ahmad to be with his wife during her delivery, Karam was born in the forced absence of his father. This pain is hard to describe with words,” she said.

“Around 20 days ago, my mother started an open hunger strike to protest against her son’s detention,” she added.

One-month-old Karam Hreish is the youngest participant in the ongoing protests in Ramallah against the latest campaign to arrest tens of Palestinian activists due to their political activities.

‘Politically motivated’ 

The latest protest was on Saturday in Ramallah, where Palestinian families and many other residents gathered to voice their opposition to the political arrests and demand the release of all detainees at the Jericho prison.

Lawyers for Justice and the families of detainees held a press conference to clarify the recent developments of the case dubbed “Beitunia’s carpenter.”

The head of Lawyers for Justice, Muhannad Karajeh, said charges were politically motivated. A hearing will be held on September 21.

Karajeh highlighted that the advocates are not allowed to have a copy of the file and were only allowed to view it 20 days ago.

“We have documented many abuses and human rights violations in this file, and the conditions of detention in the Jericho prison are very difficult. Detainees are prevented from going to the bathroom many times,” he said at the conference.

The arrest campaign also targeted students and journalists due to their political activities.