Israeli law prohibithing Palestinian prisoners from family visits meets challenge

Ma'an- The Palestinian Authority announced Tuesday that it would challenge in court a draft Israeli law to prohibit Palestinian prisoners from family visits.

PA prisoners minister Issa Qaraqe said the law was unprecedented in the history of legislation worldwide.

"By permitting its intelligence services to ban attorneys from meeting prisoners, especially during lengthy investigations, Israel is actually practicing torture and harassment against isolated prisoners," he said.

He said Israel initiated the law to prevent attorneys from learning of torture and harassment.

The law, which amends guidelines for the treatment of prisoners, extends to the Israeli courts the power to ban Palestinian prisoners from visits by their legal representatives for an entire year, up significantly to the current law which sets a three week limit. Read more