Al-Haq, together with other members of the Palestinian Council of Human Rights Organisations (PCHRO), has appealed to the international community to respond to the abysmal treatment of Palestinian political prisoners interned in Israel, in contravention of international law. 

Specifically, the PCHRO has called on:

• The United Nations (UN) Security Council to raise the issue of the continued denial of Palestinian prisoners’ basic rights;
• The UN General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal status of Palestinian prisoners;
• The European Parliament to revisit the issue of the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, particularly in light of its resolution of 4 September 2008, which calls on Israel to fully respect the rule of law for the treatment of all Palestinian prisoners.

In addition, the PCHRO has sent letters to the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the International Committee of the Red Cross to protest the collective punishment of Palestinian political prisoners. The official policy of collective punishment has prompted a campaign of disobedience from Palestinian prisoners, including a hunger strike that is entering its 17th day and involves 2,000 prisoners.

The PCHRO demands that Israel reverses its official policy of collective punishment, puts an end to arbitrary arrest and respects the rights of prisoners under international law.

ENDS