Imprisoned Palestinian lawyer Muhammad Allan, 31, who is held in administrative detention without charge or trial and has been on hunger strike for the past 55 days, continues to be threatened with force-feeding by the Israeli military as he lays in critical condition in Soroka hospital. Take Action to demand he not be force-fed.
He is drinking only water and refuses to consume vitamins and minerals, refusing medical examinations, and is committed to continuing his hunger strike until he is released from administrative detention. He is vomiting water when drinking and suffering extreme weakness; he is being held in intensive care, with one hand and one foot shackled to his hospital bed, isolated and in the presence of three prison guards.
UN officials on Saturday condemned the threat to force-feed Allan, saying that “the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental human right…Hunger strikes are a non-violent form of protest used by individuals who have exhausted other forms of protest to highlight the seriousness of their situations.” The letter, signed by Robert Piper, UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid in Palestine; James Turpin, head of the High Commissioner for Human Rights office; and Dr. Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the World Health Organization office in Palestine, strongly condemned the law and highlighted previous condemnations of force-feeding, a cruel, inhumane and degrading practice amounting to torture.
The letter also urged an end to administrative detention, noting that it is “incompatible with international human rights law and should be ended.”
The International Middle East Media Center reported that Soroka’s Medical Committee had given approval to force-feed Allan, but Physicians for Human Rights – Israel tweeted on Sunday that his doctors at the hospital refuse to force-feed him or otherwise impose treatment against his will. Israeli Channel 2 reported that a “special ER” is being constructed by the Israeli military to engage in this force-feeding practice, which amounts to torture and is prohibited by the international conventions of the World Health Organization.
Take Action: Demand freedom – not force feeding – for Muhammad Allan!
1. Sign on: Send a letter demanding Allan’s freedom, and that he not be force-fed. Israeli officials must hear the voice of the world demanding that this threat of torture be stopped, and that Allan, imprisoned without charge or trial, be freed.
2. Protest at the Israeli consulate or embassy in your area. Bring posters and flyers about administrative detention and Palestinian hunger strikers and hold a protest, or join a protest with this important information. Hold a community event or discussion, or include this issue in your next event about Palestine and social justice. Please email us at [email protected] to inform us of your action – we will publicize and share news with the prisoners.
3. Boycott, Divest and Sanction. Hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. Don’t buy Israeli goods, and campaign to end investments in corporations that profit from the occupation. G4S, a global security corporation, is heavily involved in providing services to Israeli prisons that jail Palestinian political prisoners – there is a global call to boycott it. Palestinian political prisoners have issued a specific call urging action on G4S. Learn more about BDS atbdsmovement.net.
Letter text – Sign on below!
To Brigadier General Dani Afroni, Military Judge Advocate General and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu;
I write today to call for an immediate release of Palestinian hunger striker Muhammad Allan, held without charge or trial under administrative detention. He has been on hunger strike for over 50 days.
With equal emphasis, I demand that Muhammad Allan not be subject to force-feeding. Force feeding is cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment – it is a form of torture that threatens Allan’s life. It violates international conventions and medical codes of ethics.
I also demand the end of the use of administrative detention. Like 400 other Palestinians, Allan is being held without charge or trial and under secret evidence. There is no justification for administrative detention.
The life of Muhammad Allan – and the lives of thousands of Palestinian prisoners- is precious to me and to people around the world. The eyes of the world are on these case, and the government of Israel is fully responsible for Muhammad Allan’s life. This young Palestinian lawyer must be freed, and must not be subject to the torture of force-feeding.
Allan must be released immediately and without condition, along with his fellow administrative detainees and the law allowing force-feeding immediately rescinded.
Sincerely,
