Israel transfers veteran Palestinian prisoner and nephew to desert prison

The Israeli Prison Service transferred veteran Palestinian prisoner slide, 65, and his nephew Assem Al-Barghouti, 35, from Eshel Prison to Nafha Desert Prison on Monday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club has revealed.

Nael Al-Barghouti has recently entered his 43rd year in captivity. During his four decades in prison, he lost his parents and many of his close relatives.

Born on 23 October 1957, Al-Barghouti was arrested for the first time in 1978 and handed a life term plus 18 years in prison. The Israeli occupation authorities refused to release him in prisoner swaps until 2011. He was rearrested in 2014, along with other former prisoners.

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Last December, the Ofer Military Court rejected an appeal to release Al-Barghouti and upheld the previous judgement, under the pretext of having a “secret file” on him.

Assem Al-Barghouti has been held by Israel since 2019, when he was given four life sentences. He is also a former prisoner who has spent a total of 11 consecutive years in Israeli prisons.

Israel is holding 4,700 Palestinians in its jails, including 34 women.

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