2024-05-16 Time: 23:56:07 (Jerusalem)
The PNC strongly condemned the unjust verdict on a 14-year-old Ahmmad Manasra sentencing him to 12 years in prison.Thecourt also imposed a fine on his family of 180,000 shekels ($47,000). Two other Palestinian children, 15-year-old khaleelAbu Shmali and 16-year-old Mohammad Taha were also sentenced in the Jerusalem District Court for 11years in prison each.
In a press release issued by the PNC saying that this crime carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities adds to their black, criminal file in human rights violations against the Palestinian people which considered the worst one in the world.
The PNC expresses its rejection and condemnation to this discriminatory policy laying on Israel full responsibility, demandingall international organizations to take actions to stop the massacres and exert every effort to free prisoners, first and foremost the children, as well as sending fact-finding, and investigation missions to inspect all Israeli jails stressing the fact that administrative detainees must have access to legal consultation and charges brought against them.
The PNC calls on world community and all concerned institutions which reject children detention policies, torture practices and killing acts to take all practical steps to obligate Israel, the occupying power, to abide by and implement international law standards and Fourth Geneva Convention in its dealing with the Palestinian people.
When Manasra was arrested he was wounded and only 13 years old that is why his trial was deliberately postponed a number of times, which some commentators alleged was a conscious move to delay the case until he turned 14 in January, at which time he became old enough under Israeli law to be given a prison sentence.
According to prisoners’ rights group’s Addameer, a total of 350 Palestinian minors are currently being incarcerated by Israel. The Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs said in its 2015 September report that at least 2000 Palestinian minors had been detained by Israel since January among them 800 child from Jerusalem.
