Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:51PM
Ashraf Shannon, Press TV, Gaza
The International Documentary Freedom Film Festival began in Gaza in honor of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hundred of people attended the film festival including politicians and families of prisoners.
The event was mainly sponsored by the Al Alam TV, the Islamic Republic Of Iran news channel in Arabic in cooperation with the Palestinian ministry of detainees and Palestinian film makers .
In his speech that opened the festival, the Hamas minister of Justice and detainees affairs Mohammad Farraj al-Ghoul stressed his government's support to the prisoners issue.
Over thirty films by Palestinian film makers which were screened in film festivals around the world took part in this festival which is raising the banner of freedom for Palestinian prisoners according to its organizers.
Families of prisoners in Israeli jails welcomed the event and called on Arab countries to pay attention to the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.
A new report from the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel released today says that Israeli prison interrogators systematically prevent Palestinian detainees from meeting with an attorney.
Festival organizers say they want to bring the plight of Palestinian prisoners into the limelight. Around 8000 Palestinian prisoners are serving time in Israeli prisons, some without charge or trial.PressTV - Gaza hosts intl. film festival