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Israel must give assurances on the wellbeing of Palestinian political prisoners, campaigners demand

The Palestinian Prisoners Association warns of human rights abuses in the notorious Ktzi’ot jail

INTERNATIONAL human rights organisations must demand that Israel give assurances about the wellbeing of political prisoners held in the notorious Ktzi’ot jail, the Palestinian Prisoners Association (PPA) said today.

The group warned that Palestinian prisoners have been kept in isolation, had their belongings confiscated and have been denied visits from their families after a brutal attack by their Israeli jailers last week.

At least 120 prisoners were injured in the attack, which took place as tensions escalated between them and the Israeli Prison Service (IPS).

There have been protests across Israeli jails against oppressive measures, including the installation of phone-jamming systems that inmates complain are carcinogenic and cause them to suffer from depression.

The Ktzi’ot prisoners suffered fractured hands and broken teeth in the assault, which also saw Israeli riot police firing a new type of rubber bullet that can cause serious injury.

Prisoners, who are now banned from mixing with their fellow detainees, have started to refuse meals, warning that a full hunger strike campaign was due to start at some point in the coming weeks.

According to reports, the IPS held internal trials which imposed heavy fines on prisoners and ended their access to medical treatment.

Israeli aggression against Palestinian prisoners has escalated in recent months, with the PPA warning that the attacks have been the “most severe in years.”

Earlier this year, Ktzi’ot prisoner Ibrahim Natsha sustained slight injuries in an attempted suicide when he tried to set fire to himself during a confrontation with prison officers over their repressive measures.

Prison authorities said they were continuing with the installation of the contentious jamming system, which will be completed by the end of May.

The Palestine Liberation Organisation’s commission on detainees' affairs said in a statement that Palestinian prisoners were setting up a strategy to counter the repressive measures. 

It denounced the “continued installation of carcinogenic jammers in a number of detention centres; repression; inspection and isolation measures; deliberate medical negligence; mass detentions; abuse of female prisoners and children; and issuance of racist laws against detainees.”

Hamas spokesman Ali al-Maghrabi warned the IPS to back down over its dissolution of prison regulatory committees.

“We currently stand at a crossroads. Either IPS offers solutions to this crisis or things are heading toward escalation,” he said.

“Prisoners are expected to stage a hunger strike. The heads of factions and regulatory committees would begin first for three days.

“If no solutions are offered, the strike will be extended to more than 1,500 prisoners and will continue until the prison administration meets the inmates’ demands.”

The hunger strikes are expected to start at any time between now and April 17, which marks the Day of the Palestinian Prisoner.

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