Israeli police giving electric shocks to Palestinian protesters taken into custody

Today, Israeli police confronted protestors outside of prisons in both the West Bank and Israel with rubber bullets, tear gas and electric shock, arresting 15. Protesters gathered in support of approximately 2,500 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike since April 17, 2012.

In Ramle, demonstrators amassed outside the prison medical clinic where police shot electrical currents from a Taser gun and arrested eight demonstrators chanting for prisoner rights. Later, protestors moved to the Ramle police station where those arrested where held, and seven more were taken into Israeli custody.

"They beaten us and arrested some because we refuse to leave our comrades who were arrested alone," tweeted journalist Abir Kopty, whose hand was injured by police. According to Kopty's updates, Israeli authorities also shouted expletives while arresting protestors.

Within hours, several of the detained, including a bus driver who transported the activists, were released. Although, remaining in custody is 15 year-old Ward Kayyal, who was transferred to a nearby hospital. A regular contributor to this site, Leehee Rothschild was also arrested.

UPDATE: One of those arrested says that 17 in all were arrested and were not released for a full day. No one was tasered outside the Ramle prison, but protesters were during a subsequent gathering outside the police station. All 17 were later attacked, beaten and tasered while in custody in the police station.

Meanwhile in front of the West Bank's Ofer prison, for the third consecutive day protesters were met with rubber coated steel bullets and tear gas. Five are reported injured, including one man who was struck in the leg by a tear gas canister. more

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