Ansar Al-Sajeen (The Prisoner's Friends' Association) has two branches, one in Tirah (triangle region) and the other in Majd El-Kurum (Galilee). The association has several branches-public relations, programs, liaison officers between the prisoners and their families, and public activities (such as demonstrations and sit-ins). The association works to provide financial assistance to political prisoners and to advocate for their rights. The association also works with prisoners' families in need. Additionally, the association leads public campaigns advocating prisoners' issues with the aim of raising these issues in the national and international (i.e., peace process) agenda.

Political prisoners are those arrested and jailed for their political opinions and actions taken in support of the Palestinian people in their struggle for their political, social, and national rights. At the time of the association's establishment, there were 120 Arab political prisoners in Israeli jails who did not have legal representation. Their families experienced various pressures from the security forces, which led to a sense of hopelessness and social alienation. As a result of the complicated and harsh conditions of these prisoners and their families, a group of Arab educators and legal experts joined together in establishing Ansar Al-Sajeen.

Goals

• To improve the living conditions of Arab political prisoners in Israeli jails.
• To provide political prisoners with legal representation in Israeli courts.
• To work for the release of political prisoners.
• To support released prisoners through financial and spiritual means.

Main Activities

• Provision of financial and spiritual support for released prisoners;
• Evaluation programs for released prisoners;
• Public campaigns for improved living conditions and awareness of the issues of the prisoners including demonstrations, sit-ins, and other means;
• Lobbying government bodies to free political prisoners;
• Printing literature written by political prisoners;
• Follow-up on the day-to-day problems in prison life.