Ahmad Manasra

Ahmad Manasra is a 22-year-old Palestinian who was arrested in 2015 at the age of 13 in relation to the Pisgat Ze'ev stabbings in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem.

He was convicted of attempted murder and imprisoned. His cousin stabbed two Israeli’s including a 13 year old boy. Although Ahmad had a knife and went with cousin to stab Jews, he himself did not succeed. During his imprisonment, he has endured severe violations of his rights, harsh treatment, and prolonged solitary confinement, significantly impacting his mental health to the extent of it being considered a risk to his life. Israeli authorities have nevertheless repeatedly extended his solitary confinement.

Manasra's case has drawn strong international condemnation from the UN, human rights groups, and mental health organizations who have urged Israel to release him, raising concerns about the violations of international laws prohibiting torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in this case.

Arrest and imprisonment
Manasra was arrested in 2015 at the age of 13 in relation to the Pisgat Ze'ev stabbings, which involved the stabbing and injury of two people in an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem. Despite being found not to have participated in the stabbings, he was convicted of attempted murder in 2016 and sentenced to prison.

During his time in prison, Manasra has been subjected to serious violations of his rights, including being interrogated without the presence of his lawyer or parent, enduring insults, threats, and harsh treatment. He has also suffered from solitary confinement, which has significantly impacted his mental health, leading to diagnoses of schizophrenia, psychosis, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Despite his deteriorating condition, the Israeli authorities have repeatedly extended his solitary confinement, disregarding the warnings of independent psychiatrists about the risks to his life.

Manasra's treatment in prison has been characterized by inhumane conditions, prolonged isolation, and a lack of proper medical care, raising concerns about violations of international law regarding torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

International response
The international response to the case of Manasra has been marked by strong condemnation and calls for his immediate release. Human rights experts and organizations, including the UN, as well as numerous mental health groups, have urged Israel to free Manasra due to the serious violations of his rights and the inhumane treatment he has endured.

UN human rights experts have criticized Israel for Ahmad's detention, highlighting that it violates international humanitarian law and that his imprisonment has deprived him of his childhood and essential rights.They emphasized the urgent need for Ahmad to receive necessary mental health care and counseling, especially considering his deteriorating condition.

The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network, USA-Palestine Mental Health Network, France-Palestine Mental Health Network, Ireland-Palestine Mental Health Network, and South Africa-Palestine Mental Health Network have all advocated for his immediate release.

Amnesty International has condemned the solitary confinement of Manasra as a violation of the absolute prohibition on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Amnesty's reports have also highlighted Manasra's case as part of a broader pattern of discrimination against Palestinian children in the Israeli criminal justice system, underscoring the need for fair trials and an end to ill-treatment.