Brussels / PNN –
The Ninth Conference of the European Alliance in Support of Palestinian Prisoners concluded in Brussels, the capital of the European Union, with a series of recommendations and calls to internationalise the cause of Palestinian prisoners and hold Israel accountable for its ongoing violations.

Held under the slogan “A Platform to Strengthen International Solidarity with Prisoners of Freedom Amidst Genocide,” the two-day conference (3–4 May 2025) brought together parliamentarians, diplomats, legal experts, and Palestinian prisoner institutions, along with representatives of the Palestinian diaspora in Europe and abroad. The conference was attended by Palestine’s Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, Dr Amal Jadu Shakaa, a delegation from the PLO’s Anti-Apartheid Department, and key representatives from the Commission for Prisoners and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, and the High Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs.

Participants also included leading Palestinian community figures from across Europe, Brazil, and the wider diaspora, as well as a number of journalists and media professionals.

Calls for International Action and Legal Accountability

In its final statement, the conference reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying efforts to internationalise the prisoners’ cause, particularly through legal and media campaigns targeting the International Criminal Court. Delegates called for urgent international medical delegations — including from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization — to investigate the conditions of sick prisoners in Israeli detention centres.

The conference condemned Israel’s use of administrative detention and collective punishment and called for an international conference to ensure the application of the Geneva Conventions to Palestinian detainees.

It also urged the launch of international campaigns demanding the release of the bodies of deceased Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, support for the cultural and literary output of prisoners, and the translation of their works into global languages. Delegates highlighted the need to expand the alliance’s reach into other continents, particularly Africa and Latin America, by forming similar coalitions.

Digital Advocacy and Testimonies from Former Detainees

The final recommendations emphasised strengthening joint media efforts between the European Alliance and prisoner support institutions inside Palestine, utilising modern tools including artificial intelligence to amplify prisoners’ voices to European and international audiences.

One of the conference’s most moving sessions included testimonies from recently released female and male prisoners, who shared harrowing accounts of their experiences in Israeli detention, lending a deeply human dimension to the proceedings.

Context of War and Mass Detention
The conference convened amid Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, which began on 7 October 2023. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed or injured, and widespread destruction and mass displacement continue. Meanwhile, Palestinian detainees face increasingly brutal conditions, particularly in Israel’s “Sde Teiman” desert facility, where torture and harsh treatment have reportedly intensified.

Thematic Sessions and Photo Exhibition
Specialised sessions during the conference addressed critical issues including administrative detention, torture, medical neglect, the withholding of bodies, child detention, and the so-called “cemeteries of numbers.” Participants also discussed Israel’s discriminatory laws against prisoners and the need to bring these violations before the ICC.

A photo exhibition, jointly organised by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club and the European Alliance, was held on the conference sidelines, shedding light on the daily suffering of prisoners in Israeli jails.

Honorary Presidency and Closing Commitments

In a symbolic move, the conference appointed Norwegian activist Peter Eisenstein as the new honorary president of the Alliance, succeeding former British MP Chris Williamson in recognition of his longstanding support for Palestinian prisoners.

In closing, the European Alliance pledged to continue its political and legal efforts to internationalise the issue of Palestinian prisoners, pursue justice through international courts, and provide holistic support to freed prisoners and their families.