Released Palestinian detainee details harrowing experiences inside Israeli prisons
Mahmoud Samer Jabarin provided a harrowing account of the dire living conditions faced by inmates, describing how they were isolated from the outside world, subjected to beatings and torture, and offered meager food provisions.
A recently released Palestinian detainee has characterized Israeli prisons as “graveyards for the living,” recounting harrowing experiences of torture, overcrowding, and humiliating treatment during his seven-year imprisonment.
Mahmoud Samer Jabarin, a resident of the Jenin Refugee Camp located in the northern occupied West Bank, was released on Saturday under the recent exchange agreement with Israel.
Jabarin, who was detained on February 4, 2019, and subsequently sentenced to ten years imprisonment, has been released after spending seven years behind bars. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Jabarin recounted the difficulties he faced during his incarceration, particularly highlighting the challenges during the war on Gaza as the most arduous period. “We experienced torture, beatings, and humiliation,” he stated, reflecting on the harsh conditions faced by detainees.
He detailed the appalling living conditions, narrating how prisoners were entirely isolated from the outside world, subjected to physical abuse and torture, and provided with minimal sustenance.
Jabarin underscored the harsh conditions endured by detainees, often during the late hours. “Israeli special forces would invade our cells at 2 a.m., subjecting us to physical assaults, dousing us with cold water, and deploying tear gas without provocation,” he reported.
According to Jabarin, each cell, measuring a mere 12 square meters, contained 12 inmates and lacked mattresses.
According to Jabarin, Israeli forces frequently directed verbal abuse towards individuals, expressing sentiments that they should not exist and “deserve to be crushed.”
Jabarin expressed gratitude to all those involved in facilitating his release and expressed a desire to return to his residence in the Jenin Refugee Camp. However, he noted that returning was currently impossible due to the extensive military operations launched by the Israeli Defense Forces.
