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4 additional prisoners join hunger strike + new statement from Addameer

addameerlogoAs 4 additional Palestinian prisoners joined a series of individual hunger strikes, a number of long-term hunger strikers were transferred to hospital.

Emad Batran, who has been on hunger strike for 43 days, was transferred to Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem, while Muhammad Rimawi and Hamza Othman, both Jordanian prisoners on strike for 48 days, were transferred to Soroka hospital in Bir Saba.

The four new hunger strikers are: Mohammed Tabeesh, who has been striking for 6 days; Ghassan Aliyan, who has been on strike for 9 days; Husam Matir, who has been striking for 18 days; and Iyad Abu Khadeer, whose sentence has expired but Israel refuses to release him.

They join Ayman Hamdan, Emad Batran, Ayman Tabeesh (brother of Mohammed), Adel Hareebat, Abdallah Barghouthi, Muhammad Rimawi, Hamza Othman, Alaa Hamad, and Muneer Mar’i.

More details and updates on all of their situations are provided in the below report from Addameer:

Highest number of individual hunger strikers since last year, as 4 Palestinian political prisoners begin the battle for their rights

Occupied Ramallah, 18 June 2013 – Individual hunger strikes of Palestinian political prisoners have escalated dramatically since the beginning of 2013, with over 33 prisoners engaging in hunger strikes for various reasons. This week, Addameer has confirmed that four new prisoners have started hunger strikes. Currently, there are 13 prisoners on hunger strike in the Occupation’s prisons, the highest number of individual hunger strikers in over a year.

Our latest update from our lawyers confirms that many hunger strikers have been moved to different hospitals, and their locations are currently unknown. Previously, several of the hunger strikers were held in isolation. Some of the prisoners are refusing lawyers visits due to the Israel Prison Service forcing them to keep their legs shackled during the lawyers visit. These policies serve to further isolate the prisoners on hunger strike and pressure them to end their strikes without gaining their rights.

Ayman Hamdan, Imad Batran, Ayman Tabeesh and Adel Hareebat are on hunger strike in protest of their administrative detention orders. Ayman Hamdan has been on hunger strike for 52 days. He is held in isolation in Ofer Prison. Imad Batran has been on hunger strike for 43 days and was transferred from isolation in Ofer Prison to Ramleh Hosptial and is currently in an unknown location. Ayman Tabeesh has been on hunger strike for 27 days in protest of the 4 month extension of his administrative detention order. He arrived to Ramleh Prison Hospital yesterday. Mohammad Tabeesh, who was sentenced to 18 months after serving a 2.5 month administrative detention order, started a solidarity strike with his brother Ayman 6 days ago. According to the Tabeesh family, Mohammad was subjected to severe beatings by the prison guards upon announcing his strike.

Adel Hareebat, who has been on hunger strike for 27 days, is protesting the extension of his administrative detention for an additional 6 months. Adel has served 10 years in prison, 3 of them under administrative detention. He was moved from isolation in Ofer Prison to Ramleh Prison Hospital due to his deteriorating health condition. He is suffering from lung cysts, continued fainting and dizziness. Initially, he refused treatment in the Ofer Prison Clinic due to the Israeli Prison Service insisting on shackling his hands and legs during the clinic visit. He is currently on a total hunger strike and only drinking water according to his family.

Twenty-two year old Ghassan Aliyan from Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem has been on hunger strike for 9 days in protest of his re-arrest. Ghassan was first arrested in 2007 at the age of 16. He served five years of a six year sentence before his sentence was commuted in the prisoners exchange and he was released in the second phase of the 2011 prisoner’s exchange. Because he was released in a prisoner exchange, Ghassan may be subjected to Article 186 of Military Order 1651, which allows for an Israeli military committee to restore the remainder of his previous sentence, regardless of the current reason of his arrest. Ayman Sharawna and Samer Issawi, who both endured long-term hunger strikes in 2012/2013 were both subjected to this law and faced serving over 20 years each. There are currently 13 prisoners who are held under Article 186 that can potentially serve the remainder of their sentences, which range from 1 to 30 years.

Husam Matir has been on hunger strike for 18 days to demand he be treated as a prisoner of war (POW). Husam, 25 years old, from Jerusalem, was arrested on 19 October 2007 and is serving a life sentence. Currently, Israel does not consider any Palestinian prisoners POWs. Classification as a POW for those who engaged in armed battle during the intifada is consistently a request during hunger strikes that has not been granted by the prison administration . According to the 3rd Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are granted special rights in regards to shelter, clothing, food, hygiene and medical care as well as treatment, such as not standing for headcount, or treatment as a criminal prisoner.

Iyad Abu Khadeer from Gaza is currently engaging in a hunger strike according to his family, due to the Occupation refusing to release him despite the expiration of his sentence. Iyad has served eight years in prison, and the prison administration claims that they will not release him due to his lack of identification papers that confirm he is from Gaza. He is currently held in Naqab Prison.

Five Jordanian prisoners, including Abdallah Barghouthi, have been on hunger strike for 48 days in protest of their denial of family visits and the condition of their detention. The Jordanian prisoners are Mohammad Rimawi, Hamza Othman, Munir Mar’ee, Alaa Hamad. All have been transferred to various hospitals. Hamza Othman, who Addameer’s lawyer was able to visit hours before his transfer to Suroka Hospital, has stopped taking vitamins, sugars and salts for five days and has a deteriorating health condition. He suffers from severe headaches, dizziness, dehydration, and decreased heart rate.

The increase in individual hunger strikes that do not yield any sustainable results or agreements with the prison administration speaks to the prison administration’s apathy towards the prisoner’s health and their rights. Addameer calls on the international diplomatic community, who has largely remained silent as the hunger strikes continue to escalate, to put effective pressure on the Occupation’s authorities to reach just agreements with the prisoners on hunger strike, release those who are held under administration without charge or trial, and comply with international law in regards to the prison conditions and the rights of the prisoners.

Halahleh moved to Hadassah hospital after decline in his health

thaer-halahlehPalestinian prisoner Thaer Halahleh was moved to Hadassah hospital following further deterioration in his health, said Amjad Najjar, the director of the Palestinian Prisoners Club in Hebron, quoting the occupation prison administration at Ofer prison.

Halahleh, who was released last June after a 77-day hunger strike conducted with fellow administrative detainee Bilal Diab, was re-arrested in April. Once again he has not been charged; Halahleh has been arrested eight times and served six and one half years in Israeli prisons. He has never been charged with a crime or tried; at all times he has been held without charges or under administrative detention.

Halahleh was told by a doctor in Ofer prison after his re-arrest that he had contracted Hepatitis C. Halahleh was not ill before being imprisoned. During a dental operation at Askelan prison, non-sterile tools were used, and it is believed that this instance of medical malpractice is when Halahleh contracted the blood-borne illness.

Report: Five Palestinians Kidnapped In West Bank

kidnapsafaThe International Middle East Media Centre reported that Israeli soldiers kidnapped late on Monday night, June 17, and early Tuesday June 18, five Palestinians, including one child, in different parts of the occupied West Bank.

Dozens of soldiers invaded Surif and Beit Ummar towns, the Al-Arroub refugee camp, and Beit Ar-Rosh At-Tihta village, in the southern West Bank district of Hebron, broke into and violently searched several homes.

Local sources have reported that the army kidnapped two Palestinians, identified as Saher Amro, 15, and Ahmad Amro, 25, in Beit Ar-Rosh At-Tihta, and took them to an unknown destination.

Furthermore, soldiers installed a number of roadblocks at the Halhoul Bridge north of Hebron, and at the entrance of the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of the city, stopped and searched dozens of vehicles and interrogated several residents.

Several armored military jeeps also invaded the Marah Rabah village, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and kidnapped one resident identified as Ali Mahmoud Sheikh, 29, after invading his home.

Two more Palestinians were kidnapped, late on Monday at night, at the Za’tara roadblock south of the northern West bank city of Nablus.

The two, identified as Moayyad Yousef Omar, and his brother Hasan, were kidnapped while heading back home from work. They are from the Al-Jaroushiyya village, near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem.

Palestinian prisoner Ahmad al-Saadi held in solitary confinement in Shata prison

prison-chainsAhmad Abdullah al-Saadi, 31, a Palestinian prisoner from Jenin, is being held in Shata prison in solitary confinement under a pretext of being a “threat to Israeli security,” reported prisoners inside the prison in a Ma’an News report. 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.

His family also appealed to human rights organizations to intervene in Saadi’s case; his mother said that Saadi suffered from a spinal injury and severe stomach ulcers and is not receiving necessary medical treatment in accordance with international medical standards.

Palestinian political prisoner Jaafar Abu Salah released from occupation prisons

jafar-abusalahPalestinian political prisoner Jaafar Fawzi Abu Salah was released on Sunday, June 16 from occupation prisons. Abu Salah, 47, is one of the leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the Jenin area. He was released after the expiration of his 20-month sentence in occupation prisons.

He was arrested in November 2011 as part of a series of raids by the occupation military. He had previously been arrested in 1981, 1984, 1990 and 2005.

A reception greeted Abu Salah at a checkpoint near his village, where he was awaited by comrades, friends and relatives carrying Palestinian flags and PFLP banners. They paraded through the streets of Jenin city and then proceeded to visit the homes of several prisoners with lengthy sentences and ill prisoners from the town of Arraba.

The procession then marched to his home where he reunited with his family and received well-wishers greeting him upon his release. Abu Salah expressed his greetings to the Palestinian people, who continue to be steadfast in the face of all challenges and obstacles. He urged reconciliation of internal Palestinian divisions and called for increased efforts to support prisoners’ struggle for dignity and freedom, noting in particular the case of imprisoned PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat.

 

Lawyer: Barghouthi threatened with stripping of Jordanian citizenship

al-_brghoooootheee_340_230Mohammed Shayeb, a lawyer with the Ministry of Prisoners, Detainees and Ex-Detainees, said that occupation prison authorities are using psychological pressure to attempt to stop the hunger strike of prisoner Abdullah Barghouthi, who is isolated in a hospital in Afula. He has been on hunger strike with 4 other prisoners who carry Jordanian citizenship since May 2, 2013.

Shayeb, who visited with Barghouthi, said that prison officers had threatened him with working behind the scenes to strip him of his Jordanian nationality. Shayeb said this threat was a blatant interference in Jordanian sovereignty. He also said that Barghouthi reported that prison guards hold dining tables and grill food directly in front of his room in order to pressure him.

Barghouthi also said that Israeli authorities had agreed to grant him family visits once monthly, but he refused this offer as it ignored all of the other demands of the Jordanian strikers, including their return to Jordan.

It is noteworthy that the five Jordanian prisoners are still continuing in their hunger strike their health has deteriorated very seriously, and all are being held in hospital. (reported by PNN Arabic)

Addameer: 9 prisoners currently on hunger strike in occupation prisons

hungerstrikeAddameer reported that nine prisoners are currently on hunger strike in occupation prisons as of June 17, 2013 – 4 Palestinian prisoners being held under administrative detention and 5 prisoners who are Palestinian and hold Jordanian citizenship. The striking prisoners are as follows:

1. Ayman Hamdan of Bethlehem, on hunger strike for 51 days, since April 28, 2013, in Ofer prison; protesting his administrative detention.

2. Emad Al-Batran of Hebron, on hunger strike for 42 days, since May 7, 2013, protesting his administrative detention; he is currently in Ramle prison clinic since May 26 due to the deterioration of his health.

3. Ayman Al-Tabeesh, 33, of the Hebron area, on hunger strike for 26 days since May 23, 2013, when a 4-month administrative detention order was issued against him following his arrest on May 9, 2013. He is currently in Ofer prison.

4. Adel Hareebat, 38, also of Hebron area, has been on hunger strike for 26 days since May 23, 2013 when a 6-month administrative detention renewal was issued for him. He had already been held for 6 months prior since his detention in November 2012. He is currently held in Ofer prison. He has previously spent 10 years altogether in occupation prisons, including 3 years in administrative detention.

Five prisoners who hold Jordanian citizenship have been on hunger strike for 47 days, in one collective strike with three collective demands. All are currently held in Ramle prison clinic due to their health deterioration as a result of the strike.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association’s lawyer‪, Faris Ziyad‪, visited the clinic in Ramleh Prison‪ on 2 June 2013. where he met with two Palestinian prisoners who hold Jordanian citizenship‪, Abdallah Barghouthi and Muhammad Rimawi‪. They are both on hunger strike along with three other Jordanian prisoners: Hamza Othman, Alaa Hamad, and Munir Mar’i.

5. Abdallah Barghouthi, 41, is from the village of Beit Rima in the governorate of Ramallah and holds Jordanian citizenship. He began his hunger strike on 2 May 2013 while in Gilboa prison‪; he wwas transferred to a prison section with civilian prisoners for 14 days, and  then transferred to Al‪-Jalameh Prison on 15 May 2013 for interrogation concerning his hunger strike‪. On 19 May 2013‪, he was brought to the hospital in Ramleh Prison‪. He refused water for the entirety of his interrogation in Al‪-Jalameh‪. Barghouthi received the highest sentence handed down by a military court in the history of the Israeli occupation ‪(67 life sentences‪) and has been detained since 5 March 2003‪.

6. Muhammad Rimawi, 47, is from the village of Beit Rima in the governorate of Ramallah‪ and holds Jordanian citizenship. His open hunger strike began on 2 May 2013 in Ramon Prison‪. He was transferred to Al‪-Ramleh hospital on 22 May 2013 and has only been drinking water‪. With respect to his health, Rimawi clarified that‪,before the hunger strike‪,he suffered from inflammation of the lungs and the intestines, as well as Mediterranean fever‪. As a result of the hunger strike‪, he is currently suffering from extreme fatigue‪. He confirmed that the prison administration is refusing to provide him with the medication he requires for these pre-existing health complications unless he stops his strike‪, an offer that he has categorically refused‪. Rimawi has been detained since 19 October 2001 and was given three life sentences.

7. Hamza Othman holds Jordanian citizenship and has been on hunger strike since 2 May 2013; he is currently in Ramleh prison clinic.

8. Alaa Hamad holds Jordanian citizenship and has been on hunger strike since 2 May 2013; he is currently in Ramleh prison clinic.

9. Muneer Mar’i holds Jordanian citizenship and has been on hunger strike since 2 May 2013; he is currently in Ramleh prison clinic.

Barghouthi and Rimawi confirmed to Ziyad of Addameer that the the 5 Jordanian prisoners who announced their hunger strike on 2 May 2013 from Ramon‪, Naqab‪, and Gilboa Prisons are united in their demands‪, asserting the strength of their resolve and their willingness to engage in a prolonged battle‪. He said that they will not stop their hunger strike until their demands are met‪. Their protest was sparked by the repeated refusal of family visits.

The demands of the Jordanian hunger strikers are as follows‪:

1‪. That they be released from Israeli prisons and serve their sentences in Jordanian prisons according to the Wadi Araba Agreement between Jordan and Israel. This agreement was previously applied to the case of prisoner Sultan Al-Ajouli, who was transferred to Jordanian custody in accordance with the agreement.

2‪. That the Occupation disclose the whereabouts of missing Jordanian prisoners, of which there are 20.

3. That the Occupation remove martyrs from the ‘numbered graves’, where prisoners who died in custody are currently kept in nameless graves.

Palestinian prisoner and hunger strike veteran Thaer Halahleh facing serious illness after prison medical malpractice

thaer-halahlehThe mother of prisoner Thaer Halahleh, 34, from Hebron has appealed for an urgent and rapid intervention to save her son. Halahleh was arrested for the eighth time on April 10, 2013, less than a year after his release in June 2012 following a 77-day hunger strike. Halahleh has served over 6 and one-half years in Israeli prisons. He has never been charged with or convicted of any crime; he has always been held without charges or in administrative detention.

Addameer reported that Halahleh was told by a doctor in Ofer prison that he had contracted Hepatitis C. Halahleh was not ill before being imprisoned. During a dental operation at Askelan prison, non-sterile tools were used, and it is believed that this instance of medical malpractice is when Halahleh contracted the blood-borne illness.

Director of Ahrar Center, Fuad Al-Khuffash, stressed that Thaer Halahleh wasn’t suffering from any illness before his detention and added that if Halahleh is left untreated‪, this disease will lead to serious health deterioration. He said that the Israeli prison administration has a policy of delaying the treatment and release of sick prisoners, calling for pressure to be applied to the Israeli state to force it to stop this policy of medical abuse of Palestinian prisoners.

Autopsy of Abu Hamdiyyeh shows Israeli medical neglect responsible for his death from cancer in prison

maysaraThe International Middle East Media Centre reported on Sunday, June 16 that Dr. Saber al-‘Aloul, Head of the Palestinian Forensics Center, stated that the final findings of the forensic report regarding the cause of death of detainee Maisara Abu Hamdiyya, revealed that he suffered from a fourth stage carcinoma, exacerbated by medical neglect and lack of treatment in Israeli prisons. Abu Hamdiyya died more than 2 months ago.

Abu Hamdiyya suffered a fourth stage Carcinoma center in his lung lymphatic, liver and spine, throat cancer extending to his vocal cords, and brain tumor, Al-‘Aloul said during a press conference at the Government Media Center in Ramallah.

Despite the seriousness of his condition, the Israeli Prison Administration did not grant Abu Hamdiyya the needed specialized and urgent medical treatment, until it was too late.

During a press conference in Ramallah, Al-’Aloul stated that Abu Hamdiyya did not receive any treatment, not even one chemotherapy session, an issue that led to spread of cancer to various vital organs.

He held Israeli directly responsible for the death of Abu Hamdiyya, and said that Israel deprives the Palestinian detainees from adequate medical treatment, and imprisons them under very harsh inhumane conditions.

During the press conference, Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqe’, stated that Abu Hamdiyya is the latest victim of Israel’s ongoing violations against the detainees.

He said that 204 Palestinian detainees died in Israeli prisons and detention center since 1967, and that 52 of them died due to the lack, or absence, of medical attention.

Qaraqe’ added that the forensic experts who examined the body of Abu Hamdiyya demanded forming a joint local and international committee to visit the detainees in various Israeli prisons, and provide the sick with the needed medical attention.

Head of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS), Qaddoura Fares, stated that there is no doubt that Abu Hamdiyya died due to the lack of medical attention.

Fares called for translating the autopsy report of Abu Hamdiyya into different languages, and to submit it to various international organizations, including the United Nations.

He said that ailing detainees in Israeli prisons are facing gradually deteriorating medical conditions due to Israel’s illegal policies and practices.

Abu Hamdiyya’s sister stated that, in 2007, he suffered hemorrhaging blood from his stomach, and was moved to the Ramla Prison Clinic, but no tests or diagnostics were carried out.

He died on April 2 this year, at the Intensive Care Unit of the Soroka Medical Center in Be’er As-Sabe’ (Beersheba). He was only moved to the medical center after a sharp and very serious deterioration in his health condition.

Elderly Palestinian man kidnapped by occupation forces outside Hebron after settler attack

Occupation forces clearing Palestinian land in Hebron area for expansion of Karmiel settlement
Occupation forces clearing Palestinian land in Hebron area for expansion of Karmiel settlement

The International Middle East Media Centre reported that on Sunday, June 16, Israeli soldiers kidnapped an elderly Palestinian man, Suleiman Eid Al-Hathaleen, age 75, after a group of extremist Israeli settlers attacked shepherds in a Palestinian village, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

Local sources have reported that a number of settlers of Karmiel settlement, assaulted several Palestinian shepherds from Um Al-Kheir village, before the army invaded it.

The sources added that an elderly man, identified as Suleiman Eid Al-Hathaleen, 75, was kidnapped by the invading soldiers.

Furthermore, a number of settlers attacked dozens of local shepherds, and prevented them from entering grazing lands that belong to the village.

The settlers have escalated their attacks against the villagers in Um Al-Kheir as they are trying to expand their settlement on nearly 500 Dunams (123.5 Acres) of Palestinian lands in the area.