22 The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR and administrative components of the Palestinian political system. To maintain social stability in society, family welfare falls within the purview of an international legal norm, which provides for taking care of affected families regardless of the act a family member commits. The occupying Power took arbitrary actions and placed obstacles to the functions of the Commission in many areas and issues relating to Palestinian political prisoners. These included: 1.1.1.1 Fines and financial compensations Subjecting Palestinian political prisoners to financial exploitation, the Israeli occupying authorities impose hefty fines and financial compensations worth millions of shekels on prisoners and their families. Two types of fines are levied on prisoners: (1) “court” fines are imposed by Israeli military courts on prisoners together with prison sentences, and (2) “penalty” fines are illegally charged by the Israeli Prison Service from prisoners and their families. The latter is based on allegations that prisoners committed a violation in prison. On an annual basis, the Israeli military courts imposed an average of ILS 15 million in fines on Palestinian political prisoners. These amounts are directly transferred to finance Israeli military courts, the army, and Prisons Service. In 2021, minor children were the leading victims of these fines. Due to the Israeli measures against the PA, namely, to deduct any amounts paid to prisoners, the Commission could no longer help to pay fines imposed on prisoners. 1.1.1.2 Obstruction of legal aid to prisoners The Israeli occupying authorities put in place many obstacles and challenges to prevent legal counsels from meeting with political prisoners from the moment of arrest and at different stages of incarceration. As a result, lawyers could not fulfil the legal needs of all prisoners. Lawyers were obliged to find alternative technologies to help to provide legal services to prisoners. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing state of emergency, preventive measures imposed on the ICHR lawyers by the Israeli Prison Service caused lawyers’ performance to decline. Most often, lawyers were prevented from visiting political prisoners in interrogation centres and detention facilities, particularly those with a high incidence of COVID-19. Towards the end of 2021, court sessions continued to be held via videoconference. While legal advice was not delivered properly, lawyers and prisoners lacked confidentiality during court hearings, derogating from the rights of prisoners in the stages of interrogation, extension of detentions, and trial proceedings. Courts imposed preventive measures on lawyers. For example, lawyers were obliged to put on certain outfits. A specific number of legal counsels could visit prisons and detention centres. Lawyers encountered difficulties in continuing with their ordinary work, including when they visited political prisoners, particularly sick ones, learning first-hand information about their needs, and providing legal aid to these prisoners. In addition to inadequate response to complaints against abuses, the Israeli occupying authorities denied petitions filed to improve the situation and living conditions of prisoners. 1.1.1.3 Medical negligence of ill prisoners The health situation of political prisoners are extremely desperate, especially given the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to imprisonment conditions and poor health measures in prisons. While treatment of ill and injured prisoners is deliberately forestalled, political prisoners are effecThe Situation of Human Rights in Palestine