In brief
Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian prisoner, has allegedly been assaulted three times by Israeli prison guards in the last month, according to his family. Despite the Israeli Prison Service's denial of these allegations, his family contends that Barghouti, viewed as a symbol of hope and unity among Palestinians, is being targeted due to his popularity. The situation comes amid increasing reports of abuse against Palestinian prisoners following escalated tensions in the region.
The family of the most prominent Palestinian prisoner, Marwan Barghouti, says that he has again been subjected to physical violence behind bars in Israel.Arab Barghouti told the BBC he was 'shocked and appalled' to hear from his father's Israeli lawyer that he had been assaulted three times by Israeli prison guards in the past month. The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) said that 'the allegations made are false and baseless'.Marwan Barghouti was convicted by an Israeli court of planning deadly attacks against Israeli civilians and is currently serving five life sentences plus 40 years. He was arrested exactly 24 years ago, at the height of the Palestinians' second intifada, or uprising. He had set up the Tanzim, an armed wing of the Fatah political faction.Opinion polls indicate that despite his imprisonment, Barghouti is the most popular Palestinian leader. He remains a member of the Fatah Central Committee. Many Palestinians view the 66-year-old as their equivalent of South Africa's Nelson Mandela and point to his ability to unite different political factions and his past rapport with Israeli leaders.Arab Barghouti argued that his father's prominence had led to him being singled out for attacks and abuse. 'He's someone who represents hope for unity, for democratic renewal, for a better future for the Palestinian people,' he said. 'He's a target because he gives hope to the Palestinian people.'The Israeli lawyer, Ben Marmarelli, visited Marwan Barghouti in prison on Sunday, stating that guards entered his client's cell in Megiddo Prison and repeatedly attacked him with a guard dog. He reported that Barghouti was severely beaten during his transfer to another Israeli jail and left bleeding for more than two hours in Ganot Prison after another incident.Since the deadly Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the Gaza war, there has been an increase in claims of abuse of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Human rights groups attribute this to an established Israeli policy, highlighting calls for harsher conditions from some Israeli officials. The IPS denies allegations of systematic abuse.Marwan Barghouti is understood to have been kept in solitary confinement for the past two-and-a-half years. His family claims he has previously been severely beaten by Israeli guards, and has faced significant medical neglect during his imprisonment. Arab Barghouti expressed his outrage over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, calling for international awareness and intervention.
