AHRAR: HANDEEL ABU TURKI, THE YOUNGEST FEMALE PRISONER IN ISRAELI JAILS

       Jerusalem, 14 Rabi’ul Akhir 1434/24 February 2013 (MINA) Ahrar–Hadeel Abu Turki (17) years, is the youngest Palestinian woman in Israeli prisons, she was  rearrested in front of the Ibrahimi Mosque after being freed in “ Wafa’a Ahrar” prisoners’ exchange deal.
      Ahrar Center conducted this interview with Um Fuad, Hadeel’s mother, who spoke with a voice filled with anxiety, and eyes full of tears, according to Ahrar.ps reports Ahrar monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA), Sarurday.
      The mother said that fear dominates her feelings concerning her daughter’s health and fate, who told her family in a letter that she was so depressed, anxious and lives in fear.
      Um Fuad said:” It hurts me so much to see my child’s life stalled by detention, Hadeel left her school on the 8th grade after being arrested many times and being absent for a long time from her school. She was arrested for the first time on 21/2/2009 with her sister Jihad near the Ibrahimi Holy Mosque.       The occupation forces claimed that my daughters were carrying a sharp tool.. Hadeel was 14 years old and her sister 15. Her sister Jihad was sentenced for 15 months in prison, served for seven months only before being freed according to prisoners’ exchange deal.
      Hadeel was placed in Kariat Arba colony for investigations, imprisoned in solitary confinement for a month at Hasharoun Prison with the payment of a financial bail of 5000 shekels.
     The mother continues:” Hadeel was arrested for the second time near the Ibrahimi Mosque again in 2010, she was sentenced for two months and a half, before being transferred to Beit Jala Girls Foundation. During that period, she was forbidden from making call phones or family visits.”
      “After this arrest, Hadeel’s school refused to receive her again since she had missed many subjects which were impossible to compensate.”
      “Again on 27/7/2012 Hadeel was arrested again on the Israeli check point near the Ibrahimi Mosque campus. The Israelis claimed that she had (nerves oil) and that she was planning to spray it on a soldier’s face. She was sentenced for a whole year and a bail of 1000 shekel. “
       Um Fuad assured that she had visited her daughter only once, and that most of her family members are forbidden from visiting Hadeel except for her youngest brother 14 years old, who is usually sent back home and prevented from the visit under illogical pretexts such as not having a letter from his parents that they are responsible for his acts.
       The mother has also confirmed that detention of young girls is a very dangerous phenomena, especially that occupation mistreats them, girls are being beaten, depraved from visits, and getting clothes or even money from their families.
       Fuad Khuffash, Ahrar’s director, added that occupation has violated prisoner’s exchange deal through re-arresting three of the freed female prisoners, Hadeel, Han’a Shalabi and Muna Qadan.
      Khuffash has also added that occupation violates all human and international conventions through arresting kids and young men under the age of 18 years old.  (T/P08/E1).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)