File spoon-archives/postcolonial.archive/postcolonial_1999/postcolonial.9905, message 108


Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 14:36:35 -0600 (MDT)
From: Muhammad Deeb <mdeeb-AT-gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>
Subject: Mandela Institute: Conditions of Palestinian Prisoners in Israel  




Mandela Institute: Conditions of Palestinian Prisoners in Israel 

Press Release #10
For Immediate Release
19 May 1999

Mandela Institute is gravely concerned over the deteriorating conditions
under which Palestinian prisoners live in Israeli detention centers
especially the volatile health conditions. During her visit to Ramla prison
hospital, Adv. Buthaina Duqmaq, reported inadequate health services and
unnecessary delays by the prison administration of providing badly-needed
treatment for several cases. Special medical tests and surgeries were
repeatedly postponed by the prison administration under unacceptable
pretences such as lack of personnel for guard duty. 

Prisoners also reported deficient food services which has negative impact on
the prisoners' physical well-being. This contravenes with Article 20(1) of
the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners which states
that "Every person shall be provided by the administration at the usual
hours with food with nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of
wholesome quality and well prepared and served". Prisoners also reported
that they often buy food from the prison canteen with money scarcely
available. Adv. Duqmaq also reported that the administration of Ramla prison
hospital transferred detainee Nidal Abu Alia to Asaf Harouveh hospital after
a sudden increase in his body temperature because of severe infection due to
a planted tube in his chest. 

During her visit to the Ayalon section of Ramla prison earlier in May 1999,
Adv. Buthaina Duqmaq reported that detainee Taiseer Salman heard the tragic
news of his father's death over the radio. Article 44(2) of the above
mentioned standards states "A prisoner shall be informed at once of the
death or serious illness of any near relative." Mr. Salman has been deprived
of family visits since 16 July 1998. This punishment and the tragic news
have had negative consequences for the prisoner. Mr.  Salman is still
awaiting the administration's permission to contact his family by phone. 

Furthermore, the prisoners' representative informed adv. Buthaina Duqmaq and
Anwer Abu Lafi that the Dialogue Committee had a meeting with the Commander
of the Southern Region. The meeting took place at Ashkelon prison. The
prisoners had the following demands: 

- Arab prisoners captured by Border Guard should be allowed to receive
visits from their adoptive Palestinian families and to contact their near
relatives by phone; 

- A quick solution to the over-crowded prison dormitories;

- Re-installation of TV channel al-Jazira which was coded by the prison
administration under the pretence that it carries inciting broadcasts; 

- Prisoners should be transferred to detention centers close to their
original places of residency; 

- Prisoners to be allowed to take correspondence courses with Palestinian
universities not only Israeli ones; 

The most important issue raised during the meeting was that of solitary
confinement. The administration's response was not only negative they
threatened the prisoners. Additionally, they reported that Ataya Jaber and
Abdel-Rahman Obeid were transferred from Section 8 of Beersheva prison to
Ashkelon as well as Jalal Rummaneh from Shatta to Ashkelon. 

The Mandela Institute warns against the negative consequences should these
conditions continue and calls upon: 

- Israeli authorities to honor its commitments under the various agreements
reached with the Palestinian side regarding the prisoners; 

- Local, regional and international human rights organizations to intervene
with the Israeli authorities to respect basic human rights of Palestinian
prisoners and to improve the living conditions inside Israeli detention
centers; 

- The Palestinian Authority to pressure the newly-elected government to
fulfill previous pledges to free Palestinian political prisoners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

				Sat, 22 May 1999
				From: Muhammad Deeb <mdeeb-AT-gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>
				To: Arabic-Info-AT-Dartmouth.EDU






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