Amnesty International (Amnesty) welcomed the “long overdue” release of Palestinian detainee Ahmad Manasra on Thursday after he spent nine and a half years detained in an Israel prison for allegedly stabbing two Israeli settlers in 2015 despite evidence to the contrary.
In the press release, Amnesty underscored the miscarriage of justice and human rights violations that Ahmad Manasra’s case exemplifies. Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Heba Morayef condemned Ahmad Manasra’s treatment during his detention:
“Instead of releasing him on medical grounds years earlier when his mental health conditions significantly deteriorated, the Israeli parole committee invoked a provision in the abusive Counter-Terrorism Law to block his early release … Despite mounting calls for his release, Israeli authorities placed him under solitary confinement for nearly two years which significantly worsened his conditions. Solitary confinement longer than 15 days violates the prohibition of torture.”
The international community has repeatedly called for Ahmad Manasra’s release from Eshel Prison after he disclosed to his attorney in 2015 the physical and psychological torture he was subjected to by Israel officials during a hospital stay and while imprisoned. In a sworn affidavit, Ahmad Manasra stated that Israel prison guards verbally abused him, tied his right hand to a bed to prevent him from eating, denied him restroom access, kicked him, and allowed an Israeli civilian into his hospital room to shout profanities at him. Later reports also surfaced that Israel prison guards held him in solitary confinement for two years, which UN experts say constitutes prolonged confinement and torture under international law—a direct violation of Rule 44 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Israel officials arrested Ahmad Manasra when he was 13, after his cousin stabbed two Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem in 2015 and accused Ahmad Manasra of partaking in the stabbings. UN experts stated in a press release that Ahmad Manasra’s cousin was “shot dead at the scene” and Ahmad Manasra was “hit by a car and sustained serious head injuries while an Israeli crowd jeered at him.” His arrest garnered international attention when footage of his interrogation—which can be found on YouTube—began to circulate. The video shows an injured and disoriented Ahmad Manasra being interrogated by Israel police in an office without an adult or lawyer present. The interrogating officer is seen shouting profanities while Ahmad Manasra repeatedly says that he cannot remember the events and begs to be taken to a doctor. Manasra’s arrest and interrogation violated the United Nations rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty. An Israel court convicted Ahmad Manasra of attempted murder despite evidence showing that he did not partake in the stabbings, which it publicly acknowledged.
The UN called for Ahmad Manasra’s immediate release in 2022, citing concerns over possible torture after learning that Israel prison guards had held him in solitary confinement for two consecutive years. The UN stated that Ahmad Manasra’s schizophrenia diagnosis “confirmed the devastating impact of the harsh treatment he was subject to at a young age.” The UN also noted that Ahmad Manasra had requested and been denied medical treatment while in detention.
Amnesty views this case as an “emblematic” example of wider abuses against Palestinian children in Israeli custody. In March, a 17-year old Palestinian boy died in Israeli detention, with his death being attributed to starvation, dehydration, and “denial of life saving medical intervention”.
