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<a class="domain reader-domain"
href="http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/09/19/news/prisoners-embark-on-hunger-strike-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-doctor-2071534/">http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/09/19/news/prisoners-embark-on-hunger-strike-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-doctor-2071534/</a></font>
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<h1 class="reader-title">Prisoners embark on hunger strike
in solidarity with Palestinian doctor</h1>
<div class="credits reader-credits">Allison Morris - 19
September 2020<br>
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<p>ABOUT 20 dissident republican prisoners being held
in top security Maghaberry Prison are refusing
meals.</p>
<p>The prisoners say they will fast for two weeks in
solidarity with Palestinian doctor Issam Bassalat,
who is being held in a Covid-19 isolation area in
the Co Antrim prison.</p>
<p>He was placed there on Tuesday after returning from
a medical appointment at Craigavon Area Hospital.</p>
<p>Due to Covid restrictions it has been prison policy
since March that anyone entering the jail is
isolated for 14 days as a precaution.</p>
<p>Dr Bassalat had already carried out the 14 day
isolation period when remanded into custody last
month.</p>
<p>However, has been told he must now do a second
period of isolation after leaving prison for an MRI
scan.</p>
<p>The Edinburgh based GP was refused bail earlier
this week.</p>
<p>He faces a single count of preparatory acts of
terrorism in connection with an alleged New IRA
meeting held in Co Tyrone in July that was bugged by
MI5.</p>
<p>He claims he was entrapped by Dennis McFadden,
named in court as an MI5 agent.</p>
<p>Solicitor Gavin Booth, of Phoenix Law has expressed
concerns about the Covid arrangements in the prison,
saying his clients were denied a change of clothing
during isolation and spent 14 days in the same dirty
clothes.</p>
<p>The Irish Republican Prisoners’ Welfare Association
(IRPWA said that Dr Bassalat, was being "forced into
isolation in terrible conditions in Foyle House”
adding that all prisoners under the organisations
care would be embarking "on a two week hunger
strike" over the treatment of the Palestinian doctor
who they say should be returned to the republican
separated wing at Roe House.</p>
<p>The Prison Service said it does not comment on
individual prisoners.</p>
<p>A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said:
“Since the beginning of Covid-19 over 1,000 men have
come through the isolation areas and into the main
prison.</p>
<p>“During the 14 days, a person in the isolated area
will have access to legal representation, showers,
telephones and exercise. Prisoners in separation
have previously accepted the need for a 14-day
isolation period when they have left the prison for
approved purposes.”</p>
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<p><span> <time datetime="19-09-2020 01:00"> 19
September, 2020 01:00</time> </span> <span>
<span>Northern Ireland news</span> </span> </p>
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<font size="-2">_____________________________________________________________________________________________<br>
<a class="domain reader-domain"
href="https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/09/20/irish-republican-prisoners-in-belfast-go-on-hunger-strike-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-activist/amp/">https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/09/20/irish-republican-prisoners-in-belfast-go-on-hunger-strike-in-solidarity-with-palestinian-activist/amp/</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Irish republican prisoners in Belfast
go on hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinian activist</h1>
<div class="credits reader-credits">Peadar O'Cearnaigh
20th September 2020</div>
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<p>
As <a
href="https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2020/09/07/theres-been-peace-in-ireland-for-over-20-years-but-some-irish-republicans-claim-they-have-unfinished-business/"
target="_blank">reported</a> by <em>The
Canary</em>, in August police arrested
alleged members of the New IRA in the
north of Ireland as part of ‘Operation
Arbacia’. Police also <a
href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/palestinian-doctor-charged-over-alleged-new-ira-links-1.1068789"
target="_blank">arrested</a> GP and
Palestinian activist Dr Issam
Hijjawi-Bassalat as part of that
operation. Hijjawi-Bassalat is currently
on remand in Maghaberry Prison near
Belfast.</p>
<section aria-label="Main post copy text"
data-role="region" id="main-post-content">
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<p>Prison authorities <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dissident-prisoners-in-hunger-strike-over-treatment-of-new-ira-accused-gp-39540955.html?fbclid=IwAR1xUsUBvDE_xS9ljDVonShM8Jk3Yg2ZcbYOzczcwevoMMVsYslubL-Ru5g"
target="_blank">placed</a> the GP in
isolation in Foyle House following his
return from <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-doctor-refused-bail-after-claim-he-was-caught-in-dirty-squabble-between-mi5-and-republicans-39537229.html?fbclid=IwAR06kkQS1uiRj4FBM3l8cChJEskUM1rgnJD4Tizq4JPXv3nMZUi8Chyg9nI"
target="_blank">hospital</a>.
Meanwhile, the prison service <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dissident-prisoners-in-hunger-strike-over-treatment-of-new-ira-accused-gp-39540955.html?fbclid=IwAR1xUsUBvDE_xS9ljDVonShM8Jk3Yg2ZcbYOzczcwevoMMVsYslubL-Ru5g"
target="_blank">detains</a> Irish
republican prisoners in Roe House.
Republican prisoners told <em>The
Canary</em> they’ve been on hunger
strike since 8pm on 16 September. They
demand prison authorities move Dr
Hijjawi-Bassalat to Roe House.</p>
<h5><strong>“In solidarity”</strong></h5>
<p>The Irish Republican Prisoners
Welfare Association (<a
href="https://www.facebook.com/irpwa/"
target="_blank">IRPWA</a>) told <em>The
Canary</em>:</p>
<section aria-label="Subscribe to the
Canary email" data-role="region">
</section>
<blockquote>
<p>The current hunger strike
undertaken by current republican
prisoners is in solidarity with our
Palestinian comrade Dr Issam Hijjawi
who is also on hunger strike… in
isolation in Foyle House.</p>
<p>The conditions in Foyle House are
not fit for human purpose. As we
have stated in previous statements,
an ODC [<a
href="https://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-Ordinary_Decent_Criminal"
target="_blank">ordinary decent
criminal</a>] has recently
contracted Covid-19 and is situated
in Foyle House. Conditions are
disgusting and unhygienic.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On its social media page, the IRPWA <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/irpwa/posts/2712601322355211"
target="_blank">stated</a> Dr
Hijjawi-Bassalat:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>has multiple health conditions,
has insisted that if this </em>[being
placed in isolation in Foyle House]<em>
happened he will embark on a
hungerstrike. We feel that to put
Issam in isolation is being
vindictive and a continuation of
the concerted, petty targeting
that he has endured since entering
Maghaberry.</em></p>
<p><em>The Republican Prisoners in
Maghaberry Roe House and
Portlaoise E3/E4 will support
Issam in this stance by engaging
in a solidarity hungerstrike
alongside him.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The prisoner welfare group claims
there’s no need for Dr
Hijjawi-Bassalat’s coronavirus <a
href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54202281?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers&link_location=live-reporting-story"
target="_blank">isolation</a> in
Foyle House. Because it <a
href="https://samidoun.net/2020/09/dr-issam-hijjawi-bassalat-and-irish-republicans-on-hunger-strike-in-prison-organize-solidarity-and-demand-freedom/"
target="_blank">claims</a> prison
authorities could accommodate him in
isolation in the republican wing.
However, a spokesperson for the
Department of Justice <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dissident-prisoners-in-hunger-strike-over-treatment-of-new-ira-accused-gp-39540955.html?fbclid=IwAR1xUsUBvDE_xS9ljDVonShM8Jk3Yg2ZcbYOzczcwevoMMVsYslubL-Ru5g"
target="_blank">said</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Since the beginning of Covid-19
over 1,000 men have come through the
isolation areas [<a
href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54202281"
target="_blank">Foyle House</a>]
and into the main prison.</p>
</blockquote>
<h5><strong>Dr Issam Hijjawi-Bassalat</strong></h5>
<p>During Dr Hijjawi-Bassalat’s
unsuccessful bail hearing, his defence
<a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-doctor-refused-bail-after-claim-he-was-caught-in-dirty-squabble-between-mi5-and-republicans-39537229.html?fbclid=IwAR06kkQS1uiRj4FBM3l8cChJEskUM1rgnJD4Tizq4JPXv3nMZUi8Chyg9nI"
target="_blank">claimed</a> he is “a
man of good character” who has “never
[been] in trouble before”. It also <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-doctor-refused-bail-after-claim-he-was-caught-in-dirty-squabble-between-mi5-and-republicans-39537229.html?fbclid=IwAR06kkQS1uiRj4FBM3l8cChJEskUM1rgnJD4Tizq4JPXv3nMZUi8Chyg9nI"
target="_blank">presented</a> over
30 character references describing the
doctor as being an advocate of
non-violence and Palestinian human
rights.</p>
<p>His solicitor <a
href="http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/08/26/news/palestinian-doctor-claims-he-was-entrapped-by-mi5-agent-2047441/"
target="_blank">said</a> his client
once chaired the Palestinian Society
in Scotland which is a:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>peaceful and democratic
organisation which raises awareness
of the Palestinian cause</p>
</blockquote>
<p>His defence team went on to <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/palestinian-doctor-refused-bail-after-claim-he-was-caught-in-dirty-squabble-between-mi5-and-republicans-39537229.html?fbclid=IwAR06kkQS1uiRj4FBM3l8cChJEskUM1rgnJD4Tizq4JPXv3nMZUi8Chyg9nI"
target="_blank">say</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He was caught up in the dirty
squabble of war between MI5 and
Irish republicans. These charges are
an affront to freedom of speech.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They added:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>My client speaks to numerous groups
on Palestine. He went to the <a
href="https://saoradh.irish/"
target="_blank">Saoradh</a> Ard
Fheis [AGM of this left wing Irish
republican party], he was certainly
misled. Refusing bail drives a coach
and horses through the presumption
of innocence. There are issues of
entrapment. Hopefully the
prosecution sees sense and drops
these charges.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Dr Hijjawi-Bassalat <a
href="http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/08/26/news/palestinian-doctor-claims-he-was-entrapped-by-mi5-agent-2047441/"
target="_blank">claims</a> an MI5
agent (Dennis McFadden) “pestered” and
lured him to a meeting with alleged
members of the New IRA.</p>
<p>The Palestinian prisoner solidarity
network Samidoun <a
href="https://samidoun.net/2020/09/dr-issam-hijjawi-bassalat-and-irish-republicans-on-hunger-strike-in-prison-organize-solidarity-and-demand-freedom/"
target="_blank">expressed</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>full solidarity with Dr. Issam
Hijjawi Bassalat and the Irish
Republican prisoners</p>
</blockquote>
<h5><strong>Conditions in Maghaberry</strong></h5>
<p>In November 2015, the HM Inspectorate
of Prisons and Criminal Justice
Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) <a
href="https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/maghaberry-prison-most-dangerous-in-the-uk-34172935.html#:~:text=%3A%3A%20prisoners%20and%20staff%20felt,and%20some%20aspects%20were%20unsafe."
target="_blank">described</a>
Maghaberry as “a prison in crisis”,
with “unsafe and unstable” conditions.
Nick Hardwick of Her Majesty’s Chief
Inspector of Prisons in England and
Wales said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is one of the worst prisons
I’ve ever seen and the most
dangerous prison I’ve been to</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hardwick also said the prison might
not meet minimum UN standards.</p>
<h5><strong>Hunger strikes by Irish
republican prisoners</strong></h5>
<p>Irish republican prisoners have <a
href="https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/27784"
target="_blank">used</a> <a
href="https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2020/05/05/we-should-never-forget-bobby-sands-nor-the-brutality-of-the-thatcher-government-in-ireland/"
target="_blank">hunger</a> strikes
as a form of political protest in the
past. A number of those who protested
during those years did so to the
death. However, this protest will <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/irpwa/photos/a.1609418146006873/2714553468826663/"
target="_blank">continue</a> for 14
days.</p>
<p><em>The Canary</em> contacted the
Northern Ireland Prison Service (<a
href="https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/articles/about-northern-ireland-prison-service"
target="_blank">NIPS</a>) for
comment but it did not respond by the
time of publication.</p>
<p><em>Featured image via </em><a
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6evGXM0V948"
target="_blank"><em>YouTube – SPSC
TV Channel</em></a></p>
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