Ahmad Abdullah Al-Saadi has now spent a year in solitary confinement, since May 21, 2013. He is now being held in solitary confinement in Megiddo prison, and was previously held in isolation in Shata Prison and then Ramon prison.
In 2012, thousands of Palestinian prisoners engaged in the Karameh (Dignity) Hunger Strike. The end of isolation and solitary confinement was a primary demand of the prisoners, and was agreed to by the occupation prison authorities in order to end the strike. Nevertheless, cases in which occupation authorities continue to use solitary confinement continue.
In addition, occupation authorities also in 2012 agreed to a reduction and curtailment in the use of administrative detention. This has not occurred, which has led to the now 29-day hunger strike of administrative detainees demanding an end to the practice of imprisonment without charge or trial on secret evidence.
In 2013, when Al-Saadi was first isolated, “According to prisoners, Saadi was held in Ramon prison and was transferred in February 2013 to Jalama interrogation centre, where he was interrogated for over one month and accused of attempting to coordinate the capture of an Israeli soldier from inside the prison. He denied the allegations, was returned to Ramon prison and two months later, on May 21, was transferred to Shata prison and has been held in solitary confinement since that time.
The prisoners said that Saadi’s isolation is an attempt by the Shin Bet security service to retaliate against Saadi for his refusal to confess in interrogation, saying that Saadi had been threatened during interrogation with the arrest of his mother and family; he has been prohibited from family visits for a year.”
