Nazi regime crushed her dream and sentenced her to five years in jail

By: Sammi Ibrahem,Sr

Ansam Shawahneh

Shawahneh, who got 97% in Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate Examination), was preparing to study journalism at An-Najah National University.

Four years
Four years have passed since Ansam left her home without coming back. The only girl with five brothers, Shawahneh always filled her family’s house with energy and laughter.

“Our home feels empty without her. She is not only my daughter; she is my sister and friend, especially that my family live abroad. She was my life, but four years ago, she left and did not come back,” Shawahneh’s mother said.

“It was shocking to us. We did not know what happened with her and why she was arrested,” she said.

She continued, “We suffered a lot to be able to visit her with all those repeated transfers. Her trial was delayed 20 times too before the Salem Military Court sentenced her to five years in prison.”

Ansam spent the first six months of her detention unable to see any of her family members.

Shawahneh’s mother said in a trembling voice, tears filling her eyes, “I remember when I saw Ansam for the first time after six months of separation. I was crying but she kept telling me “don’t cry mom”. I could feel her holding back her tears. She did not want to look defeated in front of her jailers.”

Shawahneh’s father said that the Nazi occupation always falsify facts and fabricate stories to arrested young Palestinians and make them serve long prison sentences.

He described the court’s decision to imprison his daughter for five years as “null” and “baseless”. “Dozens of Palestinian girls and women have fallen victim to this arbitrary policy since the Jerusalem Intifada (October 2015),” he added.

No surrender
According to her mother, Ansam has invested her time at prison to improve herself by teaching the Quran, helping high school students, and taking courses in journalism. “She has not given up her dream yet,” she smiled.

“Despite the harsh prison conditions and endless suffering, Ansam has a strong determination. She is the one who gives us hope every visit not the other way around,” the mother said.

“This is Ansam’s last year at jail but it is going to be the longest. We impatiently keep counting the days. We cannot wait until she is finally free. We cannot wait until the sun shines again and Ansam starts a new life and becomes the TV reporter she always wanted to be.”

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