PHM-Exch> PHM statement on the violation of the rights of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike

[Claudio Schuftan]

*People’s Health Movement statement on the violation of the rights of
Palestinian prisoners on
hunger strike:*

The People’s Health Movement (PHM)1, strongly condemns the Israeli
government’s retention of the
remaining three Palestinian hunger strikers, without medical assistance or
family visitation rights.
The health of the three hunger strikers, Samer Al-Barq, Hassan Safadi and
Ayman Sharawna is being
severely affected by the Israeli authorities withholding medical
assistance. All three prisoners are
administrative detainees (where a military court can order a person be held
without charge for
renewable periods of six months – Samer Al-Barq has been held without trial
since July 2010) a
practice that is in violation of the 4th Geneva convention regulations, in
contradiction with international
humanitarian law and widely condemned by human rights organisations around
the globe. Of
particular concern is the health of both Samer Al-Barq and Hassan Safadi:
Samer has been on a
renewed hunger strike for nearly 110 days, following a previous hunger
strike of 30 days – at the end
of August it was reported he was too weak to get out of bed; Hassan Safadi
has been on his renewed
hunger strike for nearly 80 days, following his previous hunger strike of
71 days. Doctors have noted
that both are in danger of imminent death, and that the life of Ayman who
has been on hunger strike
for nearly 70 days, is also at risk.

As reported by doctors from physicians from human rights, who visited the
detainees, as well as
independent tests done when admitted to hospital for examination, the three
hunger strikers all face
critical and life threatening health problems. In addition they have been
refused family visits despite
their poor health conditions and possible impending death. It is also
alleged that the hunger strikers
have endured physical brutality and psychological torture by the Israeli
Prison Service (IPS), in an
attempt to get them to break their hunger strike. It also needs to be
stressed that these prisoners have
not had the opportunity of a fair trial.

The United States backed Israeli government has for many years violated the
human rights of
Palestinian people, through the occupation of Palestinian territories; the
economic blockade against
Gaza; and ongoing military action against civilian population under
occupation. These further
violations: of the hunger strikers right to a fair trial, medical
assistance and family visitation rights is
strongly condemned by the People’s Health Movement.

The PHM demands that the Israeli Government and Ministry of Defence:

-Immediately release Samer Al-Barq and his administrative detention order
should not be
renewed.
-Immediately transfer all hunger strikers to public hospitals; and that no
hunger striker should be
shackled while in hospital;
-Allow unrestricted access of independent physicians for all hunger
strikers;
-Adhere to the agreements reached on 14 and 15 May, including improving
conditions of
prisoners, family visitation rights and ending of solitary confinement.
-Immediately release all administrative detainees who were promised release
at the end of the
current orders;
-That Hassan Safadi, Ayman Sharawna and other administrative detainees
should be
immediately and unconditionally released;
-That governments around the world condemn the ongoing violation of human
rights of
Palestinians by Israel and sever diplomatic, trade and military ties with
Israel.

We call on civil organizations and citizens around the world to pressurize
their governments to
condemn the ongoing violation of human rights of Palestinians by the
Israeli government and to put
pressure on Israel to immediately take action for these prisoners whose
lives are at risk.

We recognize and appreciate the growth of social forces within Israel who
are supporting the prisoners
and pressurizing their government to fulfill their human right obligations.

(signed)
Bridget Lloyd
Cape Town, South Africa

Dr. Amit Sengupta
Delhi, India

Dr. Hani Serag
Cairo, Egypt

Global secretariat coordinators on behalf of the PHM Global Steering Council
Copies to:
 Brigadier General Danny Efroni
   Military Judge Advocate General
 Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon
   OC Central Command Nehemia Base, Central Command
 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak
   Ministry of Defense
 Col. Eli Bar On
   Legal Advisor of Judea and Samaria
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 13698 St. Peter's Square, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town,
South Africa.
Fax: 027 866 707216 E-mail: globalsecretariat at phmovement.org Web:
www.phmovement.org


PHM is a global network bringing together grassroots activists, civil
society organizations and
academics from around the world, particularly from low income countries.
PHM works towards the
revitalisation of primary health care and works to address the social
determinants of health, including
in particular, the growing inequity within and between nations, mostly due
to unfair economic
structures which lock so many people into poverty and poor health. We have
a presence in more than
70 countries around the globe.

Mailing Address: P.O.Box 13698 St. Peter's Square, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town,
South Africa.
Fax: 027 866 707216 E-mail: globalsecretariat at phmovement.org Web:
www.phmovement.org
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