[Pnews] Palestinian Hunger Strikers Face Continuous Threats of Force-Feedings on 47th Day of Mass Hunger Strike

[Prisoner News]

  Hunger Strikers Face Continuous Threats of Force-Feedings on 47th Day
  of Mass Hunger Strike

9 June 2014, occupied Ramallah
*http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=695*

Hunger-striking detainees in Ayalon Prison and Kaplan and Wolfson 
Medical Centers have reported to Addameer lawyers of their worsening 
conditions as their hunger strike enters its 47^th day.

This is the longest mass hunger strike among prisoners in Palestinian 
history since a 45-day strike in 1976. The hunger strikers remain 
steadfast in their demand to end the policy of administrative detention.
Nearly 80 detainees are on hunger strike in 9 civilian hospitals, 
including: Meir, Aykhlouf, Kaplan, Birzelei, Tel Hashomer, Belinson, 
Afoula, Suroka, and Wolfson. They are transferred regularly and 
arbitrarily, effectively denying them the right for lawyers visits who 
must make advanced coordination with the Israeli Prison Service to visit.
*Continuous Threats of Force-Feeding*
Prisoners in Kaplan Hospital reported to Addameer lawyers that the 
doctors threatened to force-feed the administrative detainees on hunger 
strike in case of loss of consciousness.
The doctors threatened to "introduce food to the body through the nose 
into the stomach without taking consent, after shackling [them]."
These allegations come at a time when a bill to allow force-feeding of 
Palestinian hunger strikers is being debated in the Israeli Knesset. 
This is a dangerous step towards institutionalizing torture of 
Palestinian hunger strikers, which force-feeding is considered under 
international law and by the World Medical Association.
The hunger striking detainees were warned of the danger to their lives, 
as their core muscles are now deteriorating and the body fat has 
disappeared from their bodies. Some of them were told by the doctors 
that they can suffer from a heart attack or stroke at any moment. Some 
are suffering from intestinal bleeding, vomiting blood and fainting in 
addition to significant loss of weight and decrease in heart rate and 
decrease in blood sugar.
*"The rooms are worse than the interrogation cells"*
The hunger strikers in hospitals are shackled to their bed by hands and 
legs for 12 hours a day, and bound by one leg for the remaining 12 
hours. They are required to seek permission from the guards to use the 
restroom, and are not allowed to use it at night. Due to their constant 
shackling, the detainees are forbidden from walking in the rooms, 
despite the recommendation from the Ministry of Health to do so to keep 
their blood circulating.
The hunger strikers also testify to the ill-treatment of the medical 
staff in both the hospitals and the prison clinics. The doctors refuse 
to fully disclose the contents of the supplements they give to the 
strikers, making the hunger strikers fearful of taking any supplements 
that will result in them unintentionally breaking their strike. The 
absence of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), whose 
role is to monitor the health of the detainees and provide them with the 
advice and counseling on the supplements and vitamins given to them, has 
allowed for this continued negligence of the hunger strikers.
Additionally, they continue to be banned from yard time, suffer from 
continued transfers to prisons and hospitals, and systematically denied 
lawyers visits.
Addameer continues to express its utmost concern for the lives of the 
hunger strikers, and holds the Occupation fully responsible for their 
lives and well-being. Addameer also calls on international actors, 
including the United Nations and the ICRC, to maintain their 
responsibility in upholding international law and intervene in the case 
of the hunger strikers.
*ACT NOW!*
*Write to the Israeli government, military and legal authorities and 
demand that the hunger strikers be released immediately:

    * Brigadier General Danny Efroni
      Military Judge Advocate General
      6 David Elazar Street
      Harkiya, Tel Aviv
      Israel
      Fax: +972 3 608 0366; +972 3 569 4526
      Email: arbel at mail.idf.il; avimn at idf.gov.il
    * Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon
      OC Central Command Nehemia Base, Central Command
      Neveh Yaacov, Jerusalam
      Fax: +972 2 530 5741
    * Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak
      Ministry of Defense
      37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya
      Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
      Fax: +972 3 691 6940 / 696 2757
    * Col. Eli Bar On
      Legal Advisor of Judea and Samaria PO Box 5
      Beth El 90631
      Fax: +972 2 9977326

-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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