Prominent Palestinian prisoners transferred as unrest grows in Ramon prison

daghlas-hanishUnrest is growing in Ramon prison since Tuesday, 13 September after Kamil Abu Hanish and Nidal Daghlas, imprisoned leaders in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, were transferred from the prison.

The transfer of Abu Hanish and Daghlas comes in violation of the agreement of the Israeli prison administration following the 71-day hunger strike of Palestinian prisoner Bilal Kayed to cancel all punitive measures against PFLP prisoners and leaders. Numerous PFLP prisoners were subject to fines, solitary confinement, lockdowns, denial of family visits and arbitrary transfers as they joined in collective hunger strike protests demanding Kayed’s freedom. Kayed, 34, is imprisoned without charge or trial under administrative detention imposed upon him after completing a 14.5-year sentence; he ended his hunger strike last month in an agreement ensuring his freedom. Hundreds of prisoners joined in collective actions for Kayed’s freedom.

Handala Center for Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners stated that there is a “wide state of mobilization and alert in the prison” to confront these transfers and similar repressive actions against the prisoners. They noted that there has been an increase in repressive and racist attacks on Palestinian prisoners under the cover of Eid al-Adha, aattempting to take advantage of reduced media coverage during the holidays.