Palestinian political prisoner Thaer Halahleh, 35, from Hebron, was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, a 6,000 shekel fine and a 3 year suspended sentence in Ofer Military Court, for membership in a prohibited organization. Halahleh is suffering from Hepatitis C, with which he is believed to have become infected in a dental operation at Askelan prison during his earlier imprisonment, conducted with unsterilized equipment.
Halahleh, who was earlier released in June 2012 after a 77-day hunger strike conducted with fellow administrative detainee Bilal Diab, was re-arrested in April 2013. Halahleh has been arrested eight times and served six and one half years in Israeli Occupation prisons. This is the first time he has been charged or tried; at all times he has been held without charges or under administrative detention.
The Palestinian Center for Prisoners Studies said that Halahleh’s sentence is one of slow death for the prisoner who suffers from serious health cnditions. He was transferred two weeks ago to Soroka hospital due to the deterioration of his health, and necessary treatments are not made available to him inside prison. He has also been denied examination by an outside doctor to follow up on his treatment.
The Center urged international institutions to act to save the health and life of Halahleh, before it is too late.
