Mohammad and Islam Badr, brothers, and Thaer Abdu, have been transferred to hospital from Ofer prison on December 12 and remain on hunger strike. They launched their hunger strike on November 16 after they were each sentenced to administrative detention. Palestinian political prisoners held in administrative detention are held with no charge or trial, for up to six month renewable periods, on the basis of secret evidence.
All were arrested in mass sweeps in late October. Both Mohammad and Islam Badr have lost over 12 kilograms in weight since the beginning of their strike. The three hunger strikers have been isolated from their fellow detainees and all of their personal belongings were removed from their room in Ofer. They were denied extra blankets and bedding held in a very cold room in Ofer, such as to make drinking water uncomfortable. Prison guards entered and aggressively raided their room at least five times daily under a pretext of inspection.
They are demanding an end to their detention without charge or trial and striking to demand their freedom, taking only water and salt.
In addition, all of the administrative detainees in Israeli prisons are continuing coordinated steps to protest their detention and continuing restrictions and deprivations of their rights. The Solidarity Foundation for Human Rights reported that administrative detainees in the Negev have been denied family visits for two months and have been prevented from receiving newspapers and books, as well as being denied recreation outside their section for a week. In Megiddo prison, 6 detainees have been isolated because of their continuing protest.
Raafat Nassif told the Solidarity Foundation that administrative detainees will begin returning their meals on Mondays and Thursdays as the third state of their collective protest. Previously, administrative detainees were striking one day a week. Other steps will be taken in the future up to and including an open-ended hunger strike, he said.
