Moatassem Raddad facing precipitous decline in health

raddadPalestinian prisoner Moatassem Raddad, suffering from cancer, was moved suddenly from Hadarim Prison to Assaf Harofeh hospital after reports that the cancer has spread throughout his body and his health has declined precipitously, reported the Palestine News Network on November 9.

Raddad, 32, from Saida near Tulkarem, has been imprisoned since 2006, serving a 20-year sentence, and has bowel cancer. His family renewed their ongoing calls to human rights and legal organizations to act to save their son’s life and help him to spend his remaining days among his family.

Raddad’s mother said that his cancer has spread throughout his body and that the treatment he has received every 20 days in Ramle prison clinic is insufficient and has not limited the spread of his disease. She urged action to save his life so that he does not join the fate of the prisoners who were martyred due to medical negligence.

Raddad’s brother said that tests indicate the spread of his cancer and that the treatment he has been receiving is no longer feasible, despite doctors’ decision to increase his dosage of chemotherapy. He said that Raddad also suffers from kidney and heart disease and visual impairments and is bleeding constantly.

His family said they feared he would die due to prison medical negligence like Hassan al-Turabi or Maysara Abu Hamdieh, behind bars in prison rather than surrounded by his family.