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 --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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