An agreement to end the hunger strike of Palestinian political prisoners protesting solitary confinement, between the striking prisoners’ leadership committee and the Israeli prison administration, was released on 18 December 2014. The strike, which began on 9 December, ended at 8 pm on 17 December.
According to the Prisoners Center for Studies and the Detainees Affairs Department, the terms of the agreement, which was launched in protest of the solitary confinement of Nahar al-Saadi, who has been held in isolation since May 2013, are as follows:
1. Nahar al-Saadi will be transferred from where he is currently held, in isolation in an Israeli criminal prison, to a “special location” in Palestinian political prisoners’ sections in Ramon prison with treatment equivalent to that of other Palestinian political prisoners, including access to the canteen (prison commissary), return of his television, access to telephone calls to his parents until they receive a permit for visits, and the entry of clothing provided to him by his family.
2. The return of those put into isolation or solitary confinement during the strike to their original places in the prisons.
3. Ending the isolation and solitary confinement over a six month period for 12 Palestinian political prisoners accused of attempting to dig a tunnel in Gilboa prison: four to be returned to general population immediately, four more at the end of this month, and four more over a period of six months.
4. The transfer of the Palestinian political prisoner Moatassam Raddad, suffering from colon cancer, from Hadarim prison to Ramle prison hospital for treatment and full access to chemotherapy and medical support, as his health condition is very severe.
5. Ending the use of isolation and solitary confinement without cause by the Israeli prison management.
6. Return the monthly amount each prisoner can receive in his or her canteen fund to 600 NIS from 400 NIS, a restricted amount imposed after June 2014, and the return of Arabic-language satellite channels to prison televisions, which were removed after June 2014.
7. Continuation of regular meetings between the prison management and prisoners’ representatives.
Rafat Hamdouna of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Center for Studies saluted the striking prisoners, saying that the strike was “an honorable step in the history of the Palestinian national prisoners’ movement, and a successful experience of struggle under difficult conditions, reflecting the unprecedented will and determination of Palestinian prisoners.”
