The Stream

Outrage as Israel sentences 14-year-old Palestinian girl to jail

Military court’s ruling of two months in prison for teen sparks #FreeMalak online.

Twitter users are demanding the release of a 14-year-old Palestinian girl who was sentenced to two months in jail this month for reportedly throwing rocks at passing cars in the occupied West Bank last December. Authorities also claim they found a knife in Malak al-Khatib’s possession upon arrest, but Malak’s family says all the charges against her are “fabricated”. In addition to her prison sentence, she was fined $1,500.  

Malak is said to be one of the youngest girls held in an Israeli jail. Many online have been using #FreeMalak and #ملاك_الخطيب (“Malak al-Khatib”) to shed light on the teen and call for her release.