June 26th, 2006

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, in coordination with Prisoners Association "HOSSAM" and the High Commissioner Office for Human Rights, organized various activities to celebrate the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture which comes on June 26 every year. The Programme participated in the periodical solidarity sit-in attended by prisoners' families at the ICRC office in Gaza city. The sit-in was organized to support the Prisoners' issues and demand the return of their financial allowances, which was not paid for the last four months.

In addition, the Programme and HOSSAM issued and distributed a PRESS RELEASE calling upon the International community to support Palestinian Prisoners who are living under extreme conditions in Israeli Jails. The two organizations appealed the International community to pressure the Israeli government to end its strict economical siege imposed on Palestinians people, emphasizing that such siege causes negative mental and physical impacts on the Palestinian prisoners and their families.

In another respect, the Psychologist, Samir Zaqoot from GCMHP, Mr. Rafiq Hamdona from HOSSAM, and Mr. Saber El-Neirab from the High Commissioner Office participated in a live TV appearance at Palestinian Satellite Channel to talk about prisoners’ issues and torture.

In addition, the Psychologist Hasan Zeada, was hosted by Kanan Educational Institute in their weekly dialogue to talk about "The Psychology of the Torturers".

In another activity, GCMHP represented by Dr. Khalid Dahalan, participated through the video conference in a workshop organized by Torture Rehabilitation Center in the West Bank. The workshop was entitled "The Psychological Impacts of Torture". Dr. Dahalan presented a paper about "The Role of GCMHP in the Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors".