Ramallah- The High Follow-up Committee for Prisoner Affairs and the head of the Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights (Hurryyat), Helmi Araj, called for internationalizing the cause of prisoners and retrieving their legitimate title as prisoners of war, while immediately transferring their case to the International Criminal Court with no further delay. The government of the Israeli occupation has been legislating laws through the Knesset as an attempt to enforce capital punishment on the detainees, while concurrently, human rights organizations along with the High Follow-up Committee for Prisoner Affairs were celebrating the release of minor Khaled Al-Sheikh on Tuesday before the headquarters of the International Community of the Red Cross in Ramallah.
Araj commented that the occupation, and after 50 years, has not sought to change its policy and release the prisoners, but instead furthered their punishment to capital sentences. This is a clear statement of an occupation that has come to stay … and the prisoners are thus there to stay. Nevertheless, Araj affirmed that the will that the prisoners hold and the will of our people will undoubtedly overcome the will of the occupation.
Araj congratulated Khaled Al-Sheikh and wished for the release of all minors and prisoners. He thanked all those who contributed in reviving this day of the Palestinian prisoner whether locally or in the diaspora, or anywhere else in the world. He affirmed the importance of reviving this day this year as reflecting a national and international consciousness of the cause of prisoners.