Ahmad Manasra Freed After 9 Years in Israeli Prison: Childhood Lost Behind Bars
Arrested at just 13, Ahmad Manasra endured nearly a decade in Israeli detention under harsh conditions. His release reignites global outrage over Israel’s treatment of Palestinian minors.
Watan-Israeli occupation authorities on Thursday released Ahmad Manasra, a Palestinian from Jerusalem who was arrested at the age of 13 and imprisoned for nearly nine and a half years.
Lawyer Khaled Zabarqa stated, “Ahmad Manasra has been released after 9 years and a half of suffering, pain, and hardship, having faced immense challenges inside Israeli prison.”
He noted that Israeli authorities released Manasra “far from the prison so that his family couldn’t receive him, leaving him alone in an isolated place.”
A person found Manasra in the Beersheba area (south) and contacted his family, who later met up with him.
From Childhood to Chains: Manasra’s Silent Struggle Ends in Freedom
Zabarqa explained, “The family was waiting for him in front of Nafha Prison (south), but he was released in a location far from the prison”—a move aimed at denying him a proper homecoming and celebration of his freedom.
Israel had arrested Manasra on October 12, 2015, when he was just 13 years old, claiming he intended to carry out a stabbing attack in the “Pisgat Ze’ev” settlement in northern Jerusalem. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Israeli police shot and killed his cousin, Hassan Manasra (15), who was with him during the arrest.
Zabarqa said: “Manasra entered prison as a child and faced a brutal world. He never got to experience childhood—he entered prison at age 13 and is now released at 23.”
He added, “The Israeli authorities did not treat Manasra as a child or even according to legal standards for dealing with minors. Rather, they dealt with him from a purely racist standpoint.”
“He suffered greatly, but he triumphed over his suffering and now emerges to expose the policies, slogans, and false values that the Israeli authorities promote,” he said.
Ahmad Manasra: A Childhood Silenced by Prison Walls
According to Zabarqa, Israeli authorities summoned Manasra’s father on Wednesday and imposed restrictions on his release, forbidding the family from celebrating or showing joy—including welcoming guests or speaking to the media.
He mentioned that authorities also summoned Manasra for interrogation later today at the Russian Compound police station in West Jerusalem for unknown reasons.
The lawyer added, “Manasra endured unprecedented harsh conditions in prison, and even that did not soften the stance of the Israeli judiciary, which ignored his mental state, his childhood, and the fact that he was a minor.”
“We can say that the childhood of Ahmad Manasra was assassinated,” he said.
Following his arrest, a video was leaked showing Manasra being interrogated by an Israeli officer who treated him with violence, shouting, and threats. In the video, the child appeared crying, saying, “I’m not sure” and “I don’t remember,” while the investigator continued to scream in his face.
