Palestinian Society Prisoner's Club

The Palestinian Society Prisoner's Club (PPSMO) is an independent, non-governmental, popular and humanitarian association dedicated to the affairs of Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in Israeli prisons and detention centers. The idea for the association was formed inside Israeli prisons by the prisoners themselves, and it was officially established on 27 September 1993. It is licensed by the Palestinian Ministry of Interior under registration number (1) of 1996. The association operates offices and branches across Palestinian governorates, with the exception of Jerusalem, where its branch is closed due to Israeli occupation measures. The association's work is based on the principle that the Palestinian prisoner is a prisoner of war and a legal combatant entitled to humanitarian and legal protection. It calls for the application of international law, international humanitarian law, and the Geneva Conventions to Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli prisons. It coordinates continuously with local and international human rights institutions to support prisoners and alleviate their suffering. The association views the Palestinian prisoner as a freedom fighter who has the right to live in dignity and stability among his people and to participate in building society and its institutions. The association's objectives include caring for prisoners inside prisons, detention and interrogation centers; supporting released prisoners and helping them reintegrate into society; supporting prisoners' families and children socially, economically, health-wise and educationally; providing legal and judicial follow-up for prisoners' cases in Israeli courts; raising public awareness about Israeli violations against prisoners locally and internationally; documenting and publishing the intellectual, cultural and creative heritage of prisoners; issuing periodic reports and bulletins on the conditions of detainees; organizing activities in support of prisoners' rights; and creating a network of cooperation and coordination with human rights and humanitarian institutions locally and internationally. Its activities include organizing mass field events such as solidarity marches and local and international sit-ins; holding local and international conferences and festivals to highlight crimes committed against prisoners; holding press conferences locally and internationally; holding specialized legal conferences on prisoners' rights; organizing intellectual, cultural, sports and artistic activities in support of the prisoners' cause; establishing vocational training centers for released prisoners to integrate them into society; and issuing press releases and reports documenting the occupation's crimes against prisoners and publishing them in various local and international media. The association has offices and branches operating in all Palestinian governorates except Jerusalem. On 25 July 2020, the board of directors decided to close all its branches in the West Bank governorates except the Ramallah and Qalqilya branches, due to a financial crisis the association has suffered since 2018 after the Palestinian Authority stopped paying its operating budget. The association also runs the Martyr Abu Jihad Vocational Training College, with its main headquarters in Ramallah and branches in Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Jenin, as well as the Amwaj radio and television station.

The idea of establishing the Palestinian Society Prisoner's Club was formed by a group of Palestinian prisoner leaders held in the Israeli Jenid prison in 1992, following a historic 15-day hunger strike. The aim was to create a rights-based institution that would serve as a title and umbrella for prisoners and their families, a popular grassroots institution capable of raising the voice of prisoners everywhere, advancing their just cause, and conveying their suffering behind bars to regional and international forums. The association was officially established on 27 September 1993. The association held its first conference at Birzeit University, where an administrative body of 17 members from released prisoners was elected. On 28 February 2006, the second conference was held, and a new board of directors consisting of 13 male and female released prisoners was elected. The association then began opening its offices in the Palestinian governorates in the West Bank, and it now has offices and branches operating in all West Bank cities except Jerusalem, where the branch is closed due to occupation measures and the city's isolation from other Palestinian cities since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, which also resulted in the closure of all Palestinian institutions in the city by orders of the Israeli military authorities. The association is licensed by the Palestinian Ministry of Interior under registration number (1) of 1996. Its members are from prisoners held in Israeli prisons and from released prisoners, and membership is open to every Palestinian or Arab male or female prisoner inside and outside prisons who meets the membership conditions stipulated in the association's internal regulations. The board of directors meets once a month to follow up on the association's work plans, discuss difficulties facing its branches, and take appropriate decisions to advance the association and support prisoners and provide the best possible services to them and their families. The board also discusses the conditions and work of the institutions affiliated with the association, namely the Martyr Abu Jihad Vocational Training College, with its main headquarters in Ramallah and branches in Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Jenin, and the Amwaj radio and television station. On 25 July 2020, the board of directors decided to close all its branches in the West Bank governorates except the Ramallah and Qalqilya branches, because the association owns the premises there. The decision came as a result of a financial crisis the association has suffered since 2018 after the Palestinian Authority stopped paying its operating budget.

• 2020

  On 25 July 2020, board decides to close all West Bank branches except Ramallah and Qalqilya.

• 2018

  Financial crisis begins after Palestinian Authority stops paying operating budget.

• 2006

  Second conference held on 28 February 2006; new board of 13 released prisoners elected.

• 1996

  Licensed by the Palestinian Ministry of Interior under registration number (1) of 1996.

• 1993

  Association officially established on 27 September 1993.

• 1992

  Idea of the association formed by Palestinian prisoner leaders in Jenid prison following a 15-day hunger strike.

Independent, non-governmental, popular and humanitarian association defending the rights of Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli prisons.

1. 1جمعية نادي الأسير الفلسطيني - الرئيسيةppsmo.ps
2. 2جمعية نادي الأسير الفلسطيني - حول الجمعيةppsmo.ps
3. 3Palestinian Society Prisoner's Club - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4جمعية نادي الأسير الفلسطيني - ويكيبيدياar.wikipedia.org