On June 26 every year, the world celebrates the UN International Day in support of Victims of Torture. In the meanwhile, thousands of innocent citizens all over the world are exposed to several forms of torture and violations of their basic rights, set by international laws and human rights conventions. In 1997, the UN-General Assembly declared this day as an International day to support victims of torture and to remind the world of the 1984 UN anti-torture agreement.

This occasion comes as more than 9800 Palestinian prisoners remain imprisoned in Israeli jails. Nevertheless, the Israeli prison authorities are practicing various forms of torture and humiliating practices against them, violating their rights as indicated in the international laws, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention. Such violations include; repression, humiliation, physical and mental torture, solitary confinements, strip-searching, medical carelessness, and other inhumane practices.

The Palestinian prisoners live in unbearable and humiliating conditions which intensify their mental and physical suffering. Furthermore, the Israeli prison authorities impose strict measures that hinder many Palestinian families from visiting and stay in contact with their imprisoned relative members. All such procedures are considered blatant violations of the international humanitarian laws and human rights conventions, aiming to humiliate the prisoners and destroy their spirits.

It is worth mentioning that more than 125 Palestinian women, some of whom are under-age, continue to be imprisoned and are exposed to several forms of torture and deprivations. This affects them negatively and impacts their families at the mental, social, and economical levels. In addition, they are also subjected to unfair trails in the military courts and face oppressive and controversial sentences. Some of the Palestinian imprisoned women bear their babies in Israeli prison cells.

More than 450 Palestinian children are still imprisoned in Israeli jails. They are being exposed to multiple forms of torture and violence that are in contradiction with Children's Rights Convention and the International humanitarian law, both of which guarantee their right to live a dignified life in a safe environment. Additionally, the military trails of those innocent children are usually oppressive and lack the lowest level of justice.

The present painful circumstances that Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are challenged with are gradually escalating. Their conditions have been seriously deteriorating lately as a result of the current strict economical crisis that the Palestinian community is going through.

We, at the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, are warning of the negative mental, social, and physical consequences that the prisoners are encountering in Israeli jails. We also stress on the negative ramifications resulting from the current economical conditions faced by the whole Palestinian community. Such concerns are supported by the research studies conducted by Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. Of course, the collective imprisonment policy practiced by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people is a systematic plan aiming to destroy the Palestinian mental soundness.

We emphasize that the Palestinian prisoners are an integral and genuine part of the Palestinian national movement whereas they, from behind prison bars, monitor Palestinian national interests and suggest resolutions for their arising crises. Therefore, the prisoners' document, presented and initiated by the prisoners calling for national unity, is an explicit indication of the faithful commitment to the Palestinian national interest.

We also call upon the Palestinian National Authority to put the Prisoners' issue at the top of their agenda and to work seriously for the immediate release of all prisoners in Israeli jails and to fulfill the essential financial allowances and commitments for the prisoners and their families.

In the occasion of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Gaza Community Mental Programme emphasizes on the necessity of the implementation of the international laws and the importance of the genuine work to denounce violence and oppression practiced against innocent citizens all over the world. In addition, we appeal the international community to work diligently to stop attacks and crimes committed against prisoners including; children, women and elderly in all over the world. We appeal to them to pressure the Israeli government to stop all forms of violations and physical and mental torture committed against Palestinian prisoners, and to abide by all international conventions and standards in dealing with the Palestinian prisoners, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention in 1949.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme