April 12, 2025 | 09:16 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ahmad Manasra, a Palestinian youth who was arrested at the age of 13 on suspicion of involvement in the stabbing of Israeli settlers, has finally been released. Now 23 years old, he spent over nine years in prison.
The news was confirmed by his lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, as reported by Al Jazeera. During his imprisonment, Manasra experienced severe mental health problems, and his requests for early release were consistently denied.
Originally from East Jerusalem, Manasra was sentenced for being present with his cousin, Hassan Manasra, who stabbed two Israelis near the illegal Pisgat Ze'ev settlement in East Jerusalem in 2015.
Hassan, who was 15 at the time, was shot and killed by an Israeli civilian. Ahmad Manasra, meanwhile, was brutally beaten by a group of Israelis and hit by an Israeli driver.
At that time, Manasra suffered a fractured skull and internal bleeding. The moment was captured in a viral video showing Ahmad lying on the street, bleeding from the head, while Israelis mocked him.
Despite not stabbing anyone, Manasra, who was still a child, was charged with attempted murder. This was acknowledged by the court.
Authorities initially moved Manasra to solitary confinement in November 2021 following a fight with other inmates.
In the following year's interview, his family and lawyer stated that he was confined to a small cell for 23 hours a day and suffered from paranoia and delusions, which made it impossible for him to sleep. His lawyer said that Manasra had attempted self-harm.
His family stated that Manasra was relocated to the psychiatric ward in another prison every few months, where he was given injections to stabilize him.
In December 2021, an external doctor was allowed to visit Ahmad for the first time since he was imprisoned. A doctor from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) issued a medical report stating that Ahmad was suffering from schizophrenia.
At that time, the doctor warned that continued imprisonment could cause permanent damage to his mental health.
“A Great Relief”: Ahmad Manasra Released After Years of Injustice
Manasra's release came after numerous local and international bodies, including the European Union and the United Nations, repeatedly called for his immediate release.
Appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court for his early release were repeatedly denied. The court ruled that he did not qualify, regardless of his age or mental condition, because he was convicted of 'terrorism'.
Amid Manasra's trial and sentence, Israel's laws were amended to allow civil courts to convict 12-year-olds for what is termed as 'terrorist offenses'.
Zabarqa, his lawyer, stated that Israeli prison authorities released Manasra from Nafha Prison without notification to prevent his family from picking him up. Israeli prison officers also left Manasra alone in an empty area.
Zabarqa mentioned that a passerby found Manasra in the Beersheba area in the southern Negev and contacted his family, who then reunited them.
Zabarqa also confirmed that Ahmad has been reunited with his parents.
"We know in jail he’s been very ill. We’re waiting to know more about his health situation now," Zabarqa said.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty International's Middle East Regional Director, praised Manasra's release. She said that Manasra's freedom was a 'great relief for him and his family'.
"Nothing can undo the years of injustice, abuse, trauma and ill-treatment he endured behind bars," Morayef stated in a release on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
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