From: Gert van Velzen <gertv%ooc.uva.nl@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject: PALESTINIAN PRISONERS BEGIN OPEN HUNGER STRIKE
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 19:44:35 GMT


PALESTINIAN PRISONERS BEGIN OPEN HUNGER STRIKE
TO PROTEST DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AND TREATMENT

Palestinian prisoners from major Israeli detention facilities began
an open hunger strike on September 27 to protest against
deteriorating conditions of detention imposed on them by Israeli authorities.
The strike was formally announced by prisoners in a letter to UN Secretary-
General Butros Butros-Ghali on September 25. According to the letter, prisoners
say they have 'exhausted all other means of negotiating [for better conditions]
without success' and have used a hunger strike as a means of last resort; they
specifically demanding a halt to the policy of long periods of solitary
confinement, the closure of special underground punishment sectors where
dungeons conditions prevail, a reinstatement of adequate food rations, a halt
to overcrowding, access to proper medical treatment, and an end to beatings and
teargassing in the cells and demeaning strip searches.

Since the hungerstrike began, prisoners have had no communications with the
outside world. The Israeli Jewish holidays have prevented scheduled visits by
lawyers and families, which could confirm which prisons are observing the
strike, the number of prisoners involved and the response of the authorities.
The first opportunity for visits will be Wednesday, September 30.

Over the past year, prisoners have reported to human rights organizations about
deterioration of already inhuman conditions prevailing in Israeli prisons:
food rations have been reduced in the past year, specifically, meat, vegetables
and fruits; attempts by prisoners to negotiate with prison authorities for
 better
conditions have been treated harshly and prison representatives beaten or
transferred to other prisons; conditions have become more repressive, on the
 pretext
of security, even during family visits. Visits [30 minutes, every two weeks,
no-contact and supervised] are often denied by prison administrators to punish
or pressure detainees. Since 1989, the Prison Services have used a policy of
isolating prisoners in small, unventilated cells far below standard minimum
conditions in Ward 8 of Roni Nitzan detention center in the town of Ramle ans
Bir Saba' prison. In both prisons, some prisoners are handcuffed and shackled
at all times when they are outside their cells.

Similar demands have been made in repeated strikes in individual prisons during
the Intifada, and especially after the current Commissioner of Prisons, Gabi
Amir, took office in 1991. This is the first reported all-prison hunger strike
by Palestinians in Israeli prisons since March 1987, and indicates a serious
deterioration in conditions. Three Palestinians have died during hunger strikes
since the occupation began; one prisoner died from lack of nutrition in
Askelon prison in 1970 and two prisoners died after being force-fed by medics
in Nafha prison in 1980.

An estimated 12,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli detention
centers and prisons; as many as 500-1,000 more be held under short detention
orders and not registrated in detention centers or police lock-ups. According
to an Israeli military spokesman [May 1992], roughly two-thirds of the
prisoners are incarcerated in military detentions camps operated by the
Israeli army and militar police, where they can be held for several years in
tents or other temporary structures. The remaining one-third are held in
prisons operated by the civilian Israeli Prison Services [under the
authority of the Ministry of Police], where they are locked in small cells
for 21 to 24 hours a day. Cells are typically filthy, overcrowded and lack
adequate ventilation. Jewish and Arab criminal prisoners in Israeli
detention facilities are accorded better conditions and treatment than
Palestinian political prisoners.

According to the letter by prisoners to the UN Secretary general: "The
prison authorities are depriving us of practicing our religion, stealing our
food,denying us medical care, refusing to perform needed surgical operations
for detainees..., banning visits within and between sections of the same prison
forbidding prison representatives to move between sections, denying us reading
materials. They are also not providing us with necessary materials for cleaning
subjecting us to collective punishment, banning family visits for long
periods, and teargassing in Hebron, Jnaid and Askelon prisons."

Other demands include the release of very young and elderly prisoners, mothers
with young children, ill and long-term prisoners [particulary seven
Palestinian prisoners who have been held for more than 20 years under extremely
poor conditions). At least 10 prisoners from Lebanon completed their senteces
several years ago but have not been released by Israeli authorities.

Palestinian women, the mothers and wives of detainees, have been holding
sit-ins in front of the Red Cross offices in Gaza, Hebron, Bethlehem,
Jerusalem and Nablus since yesterday in solidarity with the striking
prisoners. Women's committees and student groups have also organized
solidarity activities in various West bank and Gaza cities to support the
prisoners' strike.

Israel's detention policy consistently violates international law and
standards regarding the treatment of prisoners as set out in the United
Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners [1957] and
the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian
Persons in Time of War [1949]. Violations include prisoners' transfer
inside Israel, the lack of adequate food and medical care, overcrowding,
physical mistreatment, isolation an intimidation, and denial of religious
practice.

We, as human rights organizations, are deeply concerned about the Israeli
authorities' indifference to the legal rights of Palestinian detainees
which continue to be regarded as privileges, not rights, by these
authorities. Urgent action is required immediately due to the vulnerability
of the prisoners, especially in their current isolated position, and due
to our fears, based on past incidents, that Israeli authorities will use
illegal force on prisoners engaged in hunger strikes.

Therefore we call for:

The immediate implementation of all the prisoners' demands by the responsable
Israeli authorities

The recognition of the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the
UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to Palestinian
detainees

The international community to take action on behalf of the detainees
by exerting pressure on Israeli authorities to immediately improve the
situation inside Israeli detention facilities

Palestine Human Rights Information Center-Jerusalem  tel: +972.2.287077
Mandela Institute for Political prisoners                 +972.2.955756
Al-Haq/Palestinian Organization for Human Rights          +972.2.956421
Freedom Defence Committee
Gaza center for Rights and Law                            +972.7.866287
Addameer-Prisoners' Support Association                   +972.2.827616

More info: aps@aps.hacktic.nl
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