Ill prisoners in Ramle prison clinic suffer from medical negligence, threaten hunger strike

Mansour Mowqada
Mansour Mowqada

Severely ill Palestinian prisoners are suffering inside the Ramle prison clinic, reported the Palestinian Prisoners Society on July 21. Mansour Mowqada, one of the prisoners in the most difficult of circumstances, has cancerous tumors, uses a wheelchair, and must use “plastic stomach” and colostomy bags for digestion and excretion. New tumors are currently being studied. He has in the past engaged in hunger strikes to demand proper medical treatment, as he did in April 2013.

Nahed al-Aqra, another Palestinian prisoner held in Ramle prison clinic, is facing a fourth amputation of more of his leg; he has already had three parts of his leg removed and is refusing further amputations unless the doctors in the prison clinic specify the reasons and cause for his ongoing suffering. Aqra told his lawyer that his suffering is due to medical mistreatment and negligence, and that prisoners suffering will no longer be silenced.

The ill prisoners in Ramle Prison Clinic are threatening an open hunger strike if they are not released and are not given proper medical care.

Riad Amour, spokesperson for the ill prisoners, said through his lawyer that Mahmoud Suleiman, Mansour Mowqada, Khaled Shawish, Nahed al-Aqra and Riad Amour have begun to return meals ona partial basis, to pressure the medical staff to perform medical examinations and provide proper treatment.