Palestinian prisoners launch protest steps over isolation

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails said that they will begin protest steps after occupation prison authorities isolated several leading prisoners, breaking agreements reached with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad leadership in occupation prisons to end their solitary confinement.

On Tuesday, 15 August, Thabet al-Mardawi was returned to isolation in Hadarim prison and Anas Jaradat was attacked in Nafha prison and threatened with a return to solitary confinement. Previously, occupation forces had agreed to remove Mardawi, Jaradat, Hamza Abu al-Sawawin and Munir Abu Rabie from isolation in Hadarim prison.

Muhja al-Quds Foundation released the statement of Islamic Jihad prisoners’ leadership, noting that they are determined not to bow to the will of the prison administration.

This came alongside the Amaz repressive unit of the Prison Service storming section 2 in Ramon prison on 15 August, transferring the prisoners there arbitrarily to section 1 in Ramon.  Amina Tawil of the Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies said that the administration of Ramon prison deliberately creates instabiity through frequent transfers.