Middle East Monitor / March 14, 2023
An Israeli court yesterday extended the decision to isolate Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails Ahmad Manasra despite his critical mental health condition, his lawyer Khaled Zabarqa said.21-year-old Manasra was arrested in 2015 when he was just 13-year-old. He and his 15-year-old cousin were accused of stabbing two Israelis in the illegal Pisgat Ze’ev settlement in the occupied West Bank. His cousin was shot dead at the scene, whereas Ahmad was hit by a car and sustained serious head injuries while an Israeli crowd jeered at him.
VIDEO : Israel extends isolation of Ahmad Manasra for another 6 months – Middle East Monitor
Following his arrest, video footage, widely circulated on social media, showed a young, distressed Ahmad being harshly treated and severely interrogated without the presence of his parents or legal representatives.
His lawyer Zabarqa said he has now been in solitary confinement for about 18 months.
He was mistreated during the early years of his detention to the point he was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. A group of 36 psychologists have appealed to the Israeli president to pardon Manasra due to his mental health.
Rights groups say that there are 4,780 Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails, including 160children and 29 women.
