Middle East Monitor / January 6, 2025
Palestinian detainees Nasser Abu Sorour and his cousin Mahmoud Abu Sorour have entered their 33rd year in Israeli prisons. The pair have been serving life sentences since their arrest in 1993.
In a statement released yesterday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club reported that Nasser was arrested on 4 January 1993, while Mahmoud was detained the following day. Both were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
The statement highlighted that Mahmoud lost both his parents during his incarceration and was not permitted to attend their funerals or see them before their deaths. While incarcerated, he has earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in regional studies, it added.
Nasser’s father also died during his detention. His elderly mother, who suffers from chronic illnesses, continues to visit him regularly. Like his cousin, Nasser pursued his education in prison, obtaining a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in political science.
In addition to his academic achievements, Nasser published a poetry collection titled ‘On Prison and Other Things’ and a novel entitled ‘The Story of a Wall’, which was shortlisted by Dar al-Adab for the Arabic Booker Prize in 2023. He has also received several Arab and international literary awards.
The prisoners’ rights group noted that the cousins are among 21 Palestinians who have been held in Israeli custody since before the 1993 Oslo Accords.
