[Pnews] 18th day of Palestinian hunger strike: More prisoners join mass hunger strike
Prisoner News
ppnews at freedomarchives.org
Thu May 4 11:03:58 EDT 2017
http://www.addameer.org/news/18th-day-hunger-strike-more-prisoners-join-mass-hunger-strike
18th day of hunger strike: More prisoners join mass hunger strike
May 4, 2017
Palestinian political prisoners entered 18th day of hunger strike, the
day that standing may become difficult or even impossible. On 3 May
2017, significant Palestinian political leaders declared they will be
joining the mass hunger strike. A joint press conference held in
Ramallah on the same day declared that imprisoned Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat will join
the strike along with dozens of leaders from several Palestinian
political factions such as Nael Barghouthi, Hassan Salameh, Ahed Abu
Ghoulmeh, Abbas al-Sayed, Ziad Bseiso, Basem al-Khandakji, Mohammed
al-Malah, Tamim Salem, Mahmoud Issa, and Said al-Tubasi.
Over 1500 Palestinian political prisoners and detainees held in Israeli
prisons and detention centers began an open hunger strike on 17 April
2017. The call for a hunger strike came as a result of Israeli’s
policies and practices towards political prisoners. The hunger striking
prisoners’ demands include: an end to the transfer of Palestinian
prisoners from the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) into prisons in
Israel; regular family visits; proper medical care; an end to Israel’s
practice of detaining Palestinians without charge or trial in so-called
administrative detentions; and stopping the use of solitary confinement.
Punitive measures imposed on hunger strikers have included: the denial
of family visits; denial of recreational time; denial of access to the
“canteen” (prison store); prohibition from participating in group
prayers on Fridays; seizure of salt during the first days of the strike;
and.
As a result of the hunger strike, Palestinian prisoners have been
subjected to violent and coercive measures and policies by Israeli
Prison Service and special units to push prisoners and detainees to end
their hunger strikes. Addameer Prisoner Support & Human rights
Association visited non-striking prisoners in Remon and Meggido prison
on 4 May 2017.
The non-striking prisoners informed Addameer’s attorney that Israeli
Special unit forces regularly storm and raid prisoners’ sections
confiscating personal belongings; only one blanket has been kept for
each prisoner and one set of clothing in addition to the “Shabas
clothing” or prison uniform. In all of the prisons, strikers are
isolated, denied family visits, legal visits, and group prayers; there
are multiple reports of confiscation of salt, and prisoners were
provided with plastic cups in order to drink from the tap rather than
the usually provided drinking water. Additionally, the relocation of
several prisoners to other prisons has exacerbated their already
deteriorating health due to a lengthy ‘transfer’ process. Hunger
strikers have also been prohibited from washing their personal clothing
and undergarments. In reaction to this, prisoners boycotted medical
examinations to check their heartbeat, blood pressure, and weight.
Due to Israel’s ban of attorney visits, Addameer has not been able to
track development in the strikers’ health and daily conditions. However,
Adalah, the Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and the Prisoners’ Club filed
a petition to the Israeli High Court demanding attorney visits to hunger
striking prisoners. The petition was approved by the court allowing
three attorneys to visit, where each attorney gets to visit two hunger
strikers only, that is after getting the approval of the Israeli Prison
Service (IPS).
As more prisoners are joining the hunger strike, Addameer Prisoner
Support urges supporters of justice around the world to take action
<http://www.addameer.org/news/take-action-palestinian-political-prisoners-launch-mass-hunger-strike>to
support the Palestinian prisoners whose bodies and lives are on the line
for freedom and dignity. Addameer urges all people to organize events in
solidarity with the struggle of hunger-striking prisoners and detainees.
--
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863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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