Gaza, MINA – Ahmed Manasra, who was imprisoned at the age of 13, has been released by Israeli authorities after spending nearly a decade in detention, much of it in solitary confinement, Palestine Chronicle reported.
Now 23, Manasra was released on Thursday in Bir al-Saba (Beersheba), rather than at the main gate of Nafha Prison, where his family had been waiting to welcome him. A local resident assisted him in contacting his family, according to reports by Al Mayadeen.
In 2015, Manasra and his 15-year-old cousin, Hassan, were accused of stabbing two Israelis in the illegal Pisgat Ze’ev settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Hassan was shot dead at the scene, while Manasra was hit by a car, sustaining severe head injuries as an Israeli mob jeered at him. Videos at the time showed the young Manasra bleeding on the ground.
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In 2016, he was convicted of attempted murder in a trial that raised serious concerns about due process and his rights as a minor.
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, later reduced to nine and a half years. His request for early release on medical grounds was denied in 2022.
Manasra’s lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, stated that his client was released in an extremely fragile mental state after enduring physical and psychological torture.
He was subjected to solitary confinement from 2021 until the start of the current Israeli onslaught on Gaza.
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“For several months, there has been an attempt to incite against him. Our priority now is to provide him with the treatment he needs,” Zabarqa said.
According to Amnesty International, Manasra was diagnosed with schizophrenia, suffered from psychotic delusions, and experienced severe depression with suicidal thoughts. The rights group condemned his prolonged solitary confinement, stating that any confinement beyond 15 days constitutes torture. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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