Demo in Brussels calls on Israel to release all Palestinian prisoners

BRUSSELS, April 18 (KUNA) -- Palestinians living in Belgium and Luxembourg along with Belgian human rights activists gathered in front of the European Parliament in Brussels Saturday afternoon to express solidarity with the large number of Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails and calling for their release.
The demonstration was organised by the Palestinian community of Belgium and Luxembourg in coordination with the European Alliance for the support of Palestinian prisoners.
"We are here in front of the European Parliament to express our solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners," said the coordinator of the community Hamdan Al-Dammiri in his speech to the gathering.
He noted that in Palestine 17 April is marked as the Day of Palestinian prisoners.
He said there are about 6,800 Palestinian prisoners including women, children and cancer-patients in Israeli jails. Moreover Israel is also holding 17 Palestinian deputies in jail.
"We want to tell the European pubic opinion through the European Parliament which represents the European conscience that Israel is violating all international rules and regulations and treats the Palestinian prisoners with inhuman and barbaric methods," said Al-Dammiri.
Israel can jail any Palestinian for a six-month period on the flimsy accusation that he or she represents a security threat without any trial or right to defend, he said.
"We call for the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners," he stressed. (end) nk.mt