Israel tightens solitary confinement of jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, his office says

Israeli prison authorities have recently tightened the solitary confinement conditions of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti at Ganot Prison, where he has been held in isolation since November 2023, his office said Thursday, Anadolu reports.

According to the statement, Barghouti has been held in Israeli prisons since 2002 after years of pursuit, and has spent long periods in solitary confinement alongside other prominent Palestinian prisoners.

His office said Israeli authorities have repeatedly transferred Barghouti between solitary confinement wings in several prisons, describing the measures as “systematic arbitrary practices” against the Fatah leader since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.

The statement added that Israeli prison authorities had further tightened restrictions on his confinement.

According to Palestinian and Israeli rights reports, harsher solitary confinement measures can include isolation from other detainees, repeated transfers between prisons and wings, restrictions on communication with lawyers and family members, and reduced access to medical care and basic necessities.

Anadolu could not independently verify whether all these measures are specifically being applied to Barghouti at Ganot Prison.

Meanwhile, Israel Army Radio reported Tuesday that prison authorities had imposed an additional two weeks of solitary confinement on Barghouti as punishment stemming from a disciplinary measure issued last week.

The broadcaster added that Barghouti’s lawyer filed an appeal with Israeli courts after being unable to meet him in recent weeks, and that the earliest prison authorities offered for a visit was September.

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On Feb. 18, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir raided Barghouti’s prison cell and threatened to kill him, according to video footage circulated by Israeli media.

Barghouti, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and one of the movement’s most prominent leaders, was arrested by Israel in April 2002 and is serving five life sentences after being convicted of murder and attempted murder. He remains widely popular among Palestinians.

Despite the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange deals, most recently under a Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect last Oct. 10, Israel has refused to release Barghouti and several other high-profile Palestinian detainees.

Violations against Palestinian prisoners have escalated alongside Israel’s war on Gaza since Oct. 2023.​​​​​​​

More than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, where they face torture, starvation, and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups.

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