Massive Global Demonstrations Commemorate Prisoners' Day and Condemn Israeli Execution Laws

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in the West Bank, Morocco, and Australia today, Sunday, in a widespread public movement to commemorate Palestinian Prisoners' Day, which falls on April 17th each year. These movements come amidst exceptional circumstances experienced by detainees inside occupation prisons, coinciding with an escalation in repression and racist legislation targeting their lives.

In the city of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, citizens gathered in a central march that started from the municipality building and proceeded to Martyrs' Square in the city center. Participants carried pictures of prisoners and Palestinian flags, chanting slogans demanding the breaking of chains and the internationalization of the detainees' issue in international forums to confront systematic policies of abuse.

Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghlas affirmed during the event that the occupation authorities continue to tighten their siege on the Palestinian people, alongside unprecedented violations against prisoners. Daghlas pointed out that the Israeli Knesset's approval of the law to execute prisoners represents the peak of legal terrorism practiced by the far-right government against Palestinian freedom fighters.

On March 30th, the Israeli Knesset approved a law allowing the implementation of the death penalty against Palestinian prisoners, with a majority of 62 members. This legislation, which received widespread support from right-wing parties, targets prisoners accused of carrying out operations that resulted in the deaths of Israelis, currently estimated at around 117 prisoners.

In the Moroccan capital, Rabat, massive crowds participated in a solidarity march that paraded through the main streets to the Parliament building, condemning Israeli crimes. Demonstrators carried banners calling for the protection of prisoners from daily abuses, demanding that the international community pressure the occupation to revoke the recent arbitrary laws.

In the Australian city of Melbourne, a massive demonstration took place with the participation of members of Arab communities and foreign sympathizers, expressing their rejection of the Israeli law that permits executions. Protesters called on the Australian government to take firm stances against Israeli practices and to work towards ensuring the release of detainees held in inhumane conditions.

Activists in Australia announced the extension of Prisoners' Day commemoration activities to include a full week of awareness and protest activities. These events aim to highlight the various forms of torture and degrading treatment suffered by Palestinians and to raise global awareness about their just cause in the face of the Israeli machine of oppression.

In Tunisia, activities supporting the Gaza Strip and prisoners continued, with a solidarity march condemning ongoing Israeli violations of ceasefire agreements. Participants stressed the need to grant prisoners their full freedom, expressing their anger at the approval of legislation that legitimizes premeditated murder under the guise of the Israeli judiciary.

For its part, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs revealed shocking reports regarding conditions inside the Israeli 'Etzion' prison, describing the treatment there as the worst in decades. The commission quoted legal sources who were able to visit a number of detainees, stating that the prison service has escalated repression and intimidation operations to an unprecedented degree.

Documented testimonies from inside the prison included brutal practices such as raiding cells with police dogs and constantly directing abusive insults at prisoners. Detainees are also forced to kneel for long hours in painful positions, with severe beatings inflicted on anyone who tries to object or is unable to carry out military orders.

Official statistics indicate the presence of more than 9,600 Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons, including dozens of women and hundreds of children suffering from starvation policies. These prisoners face deliberate medical neglect that has led to the martyrdom of dozens inside captivity, amidst a complete absence of international oversight over Israeli detention centers.

It is worth noting that the pace of abuse against prisoners has sharply escalated since the outbreak of the genocide war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. These violations continue with American political and military support, leading to the exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis inside prisons and transforming them into arenas for systematic revenge against everything Palestinian.

The occupation imposes a comprehensive siege on our people and practices escalating violations against prisoners, culminating in the approval of the unjust execution law.