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<h1><font size=4><b>After 83 Days on Hunger Strike, Detainee in Serious
Condition</b></font></h1>
<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/date.gif" width=12 height=10 alt="author">
</b></h1><font size=3> Monday July 02, 2012
04:32<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/person.gif" width=14 height=12 alt="author">
by UFree Network<br>
<a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/63825" eudora="autourl">
http://www.imemc.org/article/63825<br><br>
</a></font>Diabetic Palestinian prisoner Akram Rikhawi has been on a
hunger strike for 83 days and is at imminent risk of dying. According to
the World Medical Association, in most cases death occurs between 42nd
and 72nd days of hunger strike.<a name="attachment39689"></a><br>
<br>
Rikhawi suffers from various chronic conditions: diabetes, asthma,
osteoporosis, kidney problems, deterioration of his eye lenses, high
cholesterol, and immune deficiency. <br><br>
Due to these pre-existing conditions Rikhawi's hunger strike has been
even harder on his body. He was already in fragile condition a month ago.
Now he is in a coma and his condition is deteriorating fast. <br><br>
Akram Rikhawi went on hunger strike on April 12 when he was not granted
early release on the basis of his medical condition and social
circumstances. (He has 8 biological children and 5 adoptive children.)
<br><br>
He has requested for early release twice: in 2010, and on 5 June 2012.
Every prisoner is entitled to ask to be considered for early release when
at least two thirds of their sentence has been served. In all
discussions, these factors were disregarded and a file with 'secret
information' was the only material considered. <br><br>
Rikhawi, a Palestinian from Gaza, was arrested by Israeli occupation
forces in 2004 and sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment by a military
court. <br><br>
During his hunger strike Rikhawi has only seen an independent doctor
once, on June 6, 2012. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) has
made numerous requests to gain access to Rikhawi, but Israeli authorities
continually deny their requests. <br><br>
The situation for independent doctors to visit patients has gotten worse
since the hunger strikes began earlier this spring. Now they have to
apply for permission through the courts for every single visit and the
courts often deny, delay and obstruct their work. This prevents the
prisoners from receiving proper medical care in line with their basic,
and internationally recognized, human rights.<br><br>
Following the visit on June 6, the PHR-I doctor reported that Rikhawi's
weight had decreased from 68 kilos to 50 kilos, a total loss of 26.5
percent. The doctor further determined that a combination of inflammation
of prior chronic illnesses and the complications of hunger strike
rendered hospitalisation immediately necessary, as he was at immediate
risk of death. <br><br>
The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) medical centre is not a hospital, and
according to the PHR-I it is not properly equipped to handle the physical
deterioration and effects of long-term hunger strike.<br><br>
Rikhawi has been held in the IPS medical unit in Ramleh ever since his
initial arrest. On 14 June 2012 the Israeli District Court rejected a
PHR-I appeal to transfer him to a civilian hospital despite his critical
condition. <br><br>
The decision was based on a medical opinion of the IPS that denies that
his life is in danger. According to the PHR-I, 'this opinion is in
complete contradiction to the one of the independent doctor, and is not
referring to any medical data on which it is based. It also does not
relate to the opinion of the independent doctor and the risks it cites.'
<br><br>
Last week Rikhawi was briefly hospitalised to a civilian hospital several
times, but returned to Ramleh prison clinic. This moving back and forth a
patient in such a critical condition could also amount to a medical
neglect. Akram has also been shackled to his hospital bed with three
limbs, even though he is in a very critical condition. <br><br>
On Tuesday 19 June, an Addameer lawyer, Ms. Neddaf, noted following her
visit to Ramleh prison medical clinic that Rikhawi was extremely tired,
weak and weighed only 49 kilos. <br><br>
Furthermore, since 16 June, he has been refusing any vitamins and fluids
through an IV. (The IPS doctors' threats to force-feed and force-treat
him, in addition to their determination not to recommend his medical
condition as worthy of earlier release from prison, has led Rikhawi to
regard them with deep distrust.) <br><br>
Though he is sustaining himself on water alone, Ms. Neddaf was troubled
to observe that even drinking water was very difficult for him and he was
only able to consume approximately one litre per day. <br><br>
<br><br>
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