ei: Conditions in Israeli prisons deteriorate

Palestinian detainees at 'Ofer detention center near Ramallah suffer severe shortages of basic needs of life. The prison authority at 'Ofer detention center has refused to provide or allow basic needs for detainees. LAW is concerned about the safety of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and detention centers. LAW is also concerned about the Israeli arbitrary measures against Palestinian detainees including medical negligence and deprivation of basic needs as well as extension of administrative detention without trial.

LAW's lawyer Mohammad Khalaf said that detainees are locked up in overcrowded poor conditions that do not even meet the minimum standards.

Administrative detention is extended by handing a piece of paper to detainees without the lawyer's knowledge. Khalaf said that LAW only managed twice to take some food and clothes for the detainees.

According to Khalaf, Mohammad Amru from Dura, Hebron, was detained on April 15, 2002 and received a three months administrative detention sentence. The sentence was reduced by fourteen days in a court of appeal, but was sentenced again to another three months of administrative detention.

LAW's lawyer Fahmi Shkirat met with Palestinian female detainees at the women's section of Neve Terze prison in Ramle. He visisted Amna Mona, Ibtisam al-Esawi and Aysha Abayat. At the moment the number of Palestinian female detainees has risen to 35. The detainees complain of the abusive prison authorities. The female prisoners are isolated and deprived of communication with their families. They complain about degrading body search. They have been forced to take off all their clothes, while some of the prison guards have touched their bodies in a degrading and insulting way. When a Palestinian female prisoner resists the degrading search, she is forced to undress after being handcuffed. Sometimes she will be threatened that she will be forced to undress by other guards.

LAW is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation of Palestinian detainees at Israeli prisons and detention centers. LAW demands immediate release of all Palestinian detainees, meanwhile, LAW demands that Israeli prison authorities must respect international conventions concerning treatment of prisoners and detainees.

LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, PO Box 20873, Jerusalem, tel. +972-2-5833530, fax. +972-2-5833317, Email: law@lawsociety.org, web: www.lawsociety.org