Two Palestinian prisoners, Ahmad Abu Fara and Anas Shadid, are facing serious health circumstances and forced treatment as they continue their hunger strike for the 45th day, demanding an end to their administrative detention without charge or trial. The two prisoners are suffering a very serious and critical health condition at this point after over a month and a half without food as they are shackled to their hospital beds in Assaf Harofeh hospital.
Abu Fara, 29, and Shadid, 19, are under heavy guard and surveilled at all times by cameras. They are shackled to their hospital beds by their left hand and right foot. The prison guards surrounding them continue to eat ostentatiously in front of them. Both can walk and speak only with great difficulty and suffer from chronic headaches, dizziness, weakness, blurred vision and sharp pains throughout the body. Each has lost over 20 kilograms since they began their strike on 25 September. Both are from villages near al-Khalil, Abu Fara from Surif and Shadid from Dura.
Mohja al-Quds Foundation also reported that Abu Fara was subject to forced treatment, including medical tests and intravenous nutrition while he was unconscious after fainting for several hours. When he awoke, he immediately demanded the removal of the intravenous tube.
They continue their strike as three more Palestinian prisoners concluded their hunger strikes. Samer Issawi and Munther Snobar concluded their strike on Sunday, 6 November in an agreement in which the Israeli prison administration conceded that women prisoners would be returned to HaSharon prison from Damon prison following the completion of construction, reported the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission. An end to the unacceptable conditions for women in Damon prison was the key demand of Issawi’s and Snobar’s strike. The conditions for women imprisoned in Damon are notoriously difficult; even beyond the lack of bathroom access or sufficient facilities, women in Damon prison must take arduous three-day journeys via the “bosta” in order to travel to military court and back. Issawi’s sister, Shireen, is imprisoned in Damon prison with 15 other Palestinian women. The women in Damon prison detailed their experiences in a recent report with the Women’s Organization for Political Prisoners.
Issawi’s and Snobar’s additional demands, including proper medical treatment, access to Doctors without Borders and ending the denial of family visit, remain subject to consideration and discussion, reported the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes Issawi and Snobar on their achievements in their hunger strike and emphasizes the urgency of the implementation of this agreement to end the suffering of the women imprisoned in Damon. We urge escalated international solidarity at this critical moment for Abu Fara, Shadid and all Palestinian prisoners struggling for freedom.
