[Ppnews] Blind Fateh member spends decades in Israeli prison for armed resistance

[Political Prisoner News]

Blind Fateh member spends decades in Israeli prison for armed 
resistance to occupation

http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2170
(Jerusalem) Maisa Abu Ghazaleh
Friday, 13 April 2007

Ala' Al Bazian is calling for Palestinians from Jerusalem and from 
inside 1948 boundaries to be included in the prisoner exchange. 
Speaking from Israeli Jilboa Prison, Al Bazian told a Palestinian 
Prisoner Society lawyer, "We are awaiting the release of all 
prisoners who have struggled for freedom and the establishment of the 
Palestinian state with Jerusalem its capital."

Blind and imprisoned since 1986, the Jerusalem native said, "We look 
forward to living in dignity with our families."

He told PPS lawyer Ra'ed Mahamid that political affiliation should 
not be a factor as the Palestinian team makes the list of who it will 
ask to be released in the exchange for the captured Israeli soldier.

Israeli forces arrested Al Bazian in East Jerusalem's Old City on 20 
April 1986 for being an active part of the armed resistance to 
occupation. At nearly 50 years old, he described growing up being 
taught "strong ethics and respect for national rights." He said, 
"Since childhood I studied diligently and went on to college until I 
began working with my father as a contractor. It was in 1975 that I 
began learning national revolutionary concepts, and gained a new 
perspective. That is why in 1977 I joined the ranks of the Fateh movement."

Al Bazian continued, "The circumstances in which our people suffered 
persecution and repression at the hands of barbaric occupation led me 
to further action. I began to fight and during an explosion my 
colleague, Kamal, was killed and I was severely injured and blinded."

He said that he was arrested, unconscious, from the scene of the 
explosion in Mount Scopus in 1979. Waking up in Hadassah Ein Karem 
Hospital, he was "exposed to severe harassment by the Israeli intelligence."

Al Bazian described the interrogation. "The intelligence began the 
torture and poured cold water on my chest and spat in my face. There 
were some punches and other physical acts until the doctor prevented 
them from torturing me."

His face covered in blood, Al Bazian was taken from the hospital to a 
cell in Al Mascobia, the Russian Compound. "They started 
investigating me using severe beatings on my injured legs and the 
investigator beat me on the neck from behind and deprived me of 
sleep. This lasted for 18 days."

He said, "After that I was transferred to Ramle Prison where I stayed 
for six months and was tried in the Lod Military Court and sentenced 
to a period of five years. The lawyer got it reduced to two because 
there was no physical evidence of anything.

"Later I was transferred to a prison in Beer Aseeba where I spent two 
years and then was released. I received a ruling from the Supreme 
Court to allow travel to Jordan for medical treatment. I went to 
Jordan and Lebanon where I received medicine for my eyes, my right 
hand was gone, irreparable. They wanted me to wait in Lebanon before 
traveling to Germany for surgery but I told them I would return to 
Palestine, to the resistance, and wait there. But I was not allowed 
to leave again for the surgery. The court said I had left once 
already for medical treatment."

His story continued into the next decade. "In 1981 I was arrested for 
the second time for resistance activities and was sentenced to 20 years."

Al Bazian remained in prison until 20 May 1985 when he was released 
as part of an exchange, but by 1986 was again imprisoned. He said 
that he was moved numerous times and kept in isolation.

"I have lost all sight. I do not even see the guards or the bars. I 
need other prisoners to be able to move, to go to the toilet, to eat, 
to read. My life depends on other prisoners, which makes the wounds 
deeper. Words often fail to describe the suffering behind bars, in a 
cell, in the dark day and night. I look forward to freedom, which 
means for me the liberation of our people, to gain dignity and live in peace."


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