REPORT ON THE CONDITIONS OF THE PALESTINIAN PRISONERS IN THE ZIONIST JAILS

 As part of its mandate Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man has always made and efforts to visit Palestinian prisoners in Zionist  jails. From January 2002 until the date of this report 40 visits have taken place. Many prisoners were met and gave testimonies to Al-Haq regarding their imprisonment and prison conditions. Over 250 testimonies have been taken from prisoners. Some of these testimonies are used to prepare reports on the conditions of prisoners. Special attention is given to sick detainees and those who experienced torture. Women prisoners are also given special attention.

According to testimonies collected by Al-Haq from Palestinian prisoners in Zionist  jails it is evident that prisoners live in unbearably awful conditions. These conditions are in clear violation of international human rights standards and the domestic laws, the administration of the Zionist prisons does not provide for the basic needs of prisoners. 

Al-Haq's lawyers attempt to visit Palestinian prisoners in all Zionist jails and detention centers. However, some prisons such as Ansar 3 ( Ktse'ot), 'Ofer, al- Ramleh hospital prison, Ayalon and Shatta are visited more frequently than other jails. The following reports is a more detailed description of the conditions in which prisoners are held in each of these prisons.

Ansar 3 ( Ktse'ot)

This prison is located in the Negev desert, and is home to approximately 1120 prisoners, of whom 919 are administrative detainees. This prison is divided into four sections each of which contains four units. Sixty prisoners are usually held in every unit and are distributed between three small tents in the unit. According to testimonies given by prisoners the tents are shabby and old. They are not suitable to live in. They neither protect prisoners from the desert sun during the day nor the pungent cold during the night. Harmful insects are also widespread. In an affidavit from detainee Jehad Hasan Za'bout he reported that prisoners killed many scorpions inside the tent where he and other prisoners live. He added that they killed a snake

There are only three toilets in every section, and there is no hot water. Prisoners receive soap and disinfectants as donations from charity societies, but the administration of the prison refuses to provide such basic items of its own accord.

Food is terrible in terms of quantity and quality. Detainee Khaled Abd al-Wali, who prepares food for prisoners, mentioned that the he was punished by the administration of the prison after demanding an improvement in the quantity of the food served. After his protest he was forbidden from entering the kitchen to prepare food. The task was given over to soldiers. The soldiers served uncooked schnitzel. Prisoners petitioned the administration of the prison to request better services, but their petitions were denied. A few days later the administration of the prison did however begin allowing prisoners to prepare food for them selves. This was in June 2002.

When the prison was reopened during 2002 no stable electrical supply was available, only very low voltage (24 volt) was provided. Prisoners therefore could not use electric appliances. With the help of human rights organizations including Al-Haq, who petitioned the Israeli High Court acceptable power service was provided.

Al-Haq has also documented that many sick prisoners are held in this prison. These prisoners do not receive appropriate medical care. Medicine is lacking and doctors do not give medical advice. Many of these prisoners are in need of surgery. However, the administration of the prison denies them the right to be transferred to hospitals. In his testimony, detainee Saleh Sa'ed al-Hassis mentioned that he suffered from partial kidney failure and that doctors decided to remove one of his kidneys a few days before he had been arrested. The prison doctor stressed that the operation was needed by al-Hassis and said that failure in carry out the surgery would lead to more complications. Al- Hassis then underwent medical examinations in the Suroka

 Detainee Muhannad Musa al-Wreidat, suffered from oral inflammation after he had been harshly beaten by Israeli soldiers in the 'Ofer prison. The doctor in the Ansar 3 said that he suffered from oral inflammation but he did not give him any treatment. He only gave him analgesic pills. Many other prisoners suffer from dental pains. They constantly stressed their need for a dentist. But the administration of the prison did not care at all about their demands.

It is worth mentioning that many Palestinians were arrested after they were injured by Zionist soldiers. Many of these prisoners are held in Ansar 3 and they have not received any medical care. Their health conditions deteriorated as a result. Detainee Hamdi Hasan Farhat is one of these prisoners.

Due to lack of disinfectants some prisoners suffer from scabies. Prisoners approached the administration of the prison in order to treat the sick prisoners and get rid of this infectious disease. The administration did not respond.  Therefore, prisoners had to isolate those who suffered from this disease.  

Renewal of detention periods is one of the things that add to the burden of prisoners. Many prisoners have been victims of this policy. As soon as these prisoners have their imprisonment period finish they receive renewal notification. The worst part of this policy is that the prisoner is informed of the decision just as he prepares himself to be released. This increases the psychological effect on detainees. In accordance with the obligations of the administration of the prison, detainees who are to have their imprisonment period extended must be informed at least one week in advance, but this does not happen. 

Books and reading materials are also not sufficient in the prison. Arabic newspapers are not available. The administration provides Hebrew newspapers instead, but detainees who actually understand Hebrew are few.

'Ofer prison

This prison is located in Betounya just a few kilometers to the West of Ramallah. It is originally a military camp at which a detention center has been formed. It is estimated that 720 Palestinian detainees are held in this prison. Eighty-five of them are administrative detainees. Several others are Palestinians holding  Jordanian passports.

Conditions in this prison are not better than those in Ansar 3. Prisoners are held in tents distributed on sections. Many harsh beatings have been reported in this prison.  Overcrowding, poor food, terrible sanitation services, widespread insects and reptiles are common features of this prison. Prisoners are also in need of changes of clothes, especially underwear.

Additionally, there are some sick prisoners in this prison. These prisoners are deprived of medical care. In an affidavit given by detainee Murad Abu Gharbeyyeh he mentioned that he suffered from psychological instability after his wife had been killed in front of him. He lost his conscious many times. The doctor of the prison diagnosed his case, but he was not given appropriate treatment. 

Twenty four Palestinian prisoners holding Jordanian passports are held in this prison. The administration of the prison notified them that they would be exiled to Jordan under the reasoning that their presence in the occupied territories is illegal. These prisoners are Palestinians living with their families in the West Bank, but they earlier their ID cards confiscated after they had stayed or a while in Jordan. On

The prisoners demanded that the prison administration provide them with Arabic newspapers. Their demand was rejected. Books and other reading materials are not available. Families are not allowed to visit their sons.

Recently, the administration of the prison has made visits carried out by Al-Haq's lawyers to this prison difficult. Al-Haq has made many requests for visits. No response has been received.

The al- Ramleh Women Prison     

Similar imprisonment conditions prevail in this prison. Al-Haq's lawyers managed to make several visits to detainees in this prison.  During the past three months Al-Haq's lawyers and other lawyers have not been allowed to visit this jail under different pretexts. On 19 February 2003 Al-Haq's lawyers managed to visit some prisoners in this jail. Detainee Amneh Muna, the prisoners' representative, was one of them. According to Muna's affidavit, prisoners in this jail live under difficult conditions. 57 female prisoners are held in this prison of which 9 prisoners are under 18 years old, and 5 prisoners are married. Every six prisoners are held in a 14 m/sq room.

Prisoners in this prison experience various forms of degrading and humiliating treatment by jailers. They are frequently exposed to personal searches, a process during which they have to undress. Prisoners expressed deep concern over such a practice and call for intervention to put an end to it. These political prisoners are also insulted by other civilian prisoners inside the same prison.

Hot water is not available in this prison. Cleaning materials and disinfectants are also lacking. On 11 February 2003 (the feast day for Muslims) the prisoners approached the administration of the prison to request hot water. They received no response. On the following day six of them were put in solitary confinement as punishment for their request. Detainee Amneh Muan was one of them. Muna said that jailers took her to solitary confinement at 7:30am on that day. She was not allowed to change her clothes before being taken. Other detainees were harshly beaten. According t

Muna added that there were some sick prisoners in the prison. Asma' Dakhl Allah, married and a mother of six, suffers from a tumor. She experiences severe pains. She is only given painkillers. Her administrative detention is being used as pressure against her husband who, according to Zionist claims, is wanted. Her children are not being taken care of by anyone. There is no space for her in this prison so she sleeps on the floor.

Nineteen years old Mervat Taha from Jerusalem was pregnant when she was arrested. On 17 February 2003 she was transferred to hospital to deliver. Taha was brought back to prison on the following day. One day later the baby was brought also to his mother and he is now with her in prison.  

Five prisoners suffer from lower back pains and another prisoner suffers from psychological disorders. Their cases require specialists to help them. Al-Haq will work on this matter.

Three of the prisoners were arrested to pressure their husbands. These are: Asma' Dakhl Allah, Suheir Jaber (she suffers from a fracture in her back) and Asma' Saleh. Asma' who is married with two children. She is a Palestinian holding a Jordanian passport. She was notified that she might be exiled without her children to Jordan.

The al- Ramleh Hospital- Prison

Prisoners who are in need of prolonged medical care are held in this prison. Testimonies collected by Al-Haq show that prisoners here face the same suffering that prisoners in other prison suffer. 28 sick prisoners are held there of which 7 are permanent prisoners. The other prisoners are usually brought back to their prisons after they undergo surgery or medical examinations. Detainee Ra'fat al-Orouqi said that the administration of this prison delays urgent surgeries for prisoners who need them. Detainee Mansour  Mouqedi is a case in point. Doctors recommended surgery for Mouqedi long ago but the administration is still delaying.

Detainee Jum'a Isma'el Musa was sentenced to life imprisonment and ten years. He suffers from rheumatism, high blood pressure, diabetes as well as teeth problems. He cannot chew food. The administration of the prison refuses to provide helping equipment.

Prisoners mentioned that the food served to them is poor.

Ayalon prison  

Four Palestinian prisoners are held in solitary confinement in this prison. According to their affidavits they receive very cruel treatment. They stay in 4sqm cells. Detainee Hani Jaber, 28 years old, mentioned that he has been in this prison for eight months. When he was imprisoned his hands were tied behind his back. His feet were also tied. Therefore he declared a hunger strike for 19 days until he had his hands and feet untied.

Jaber said that food is bad both in terms of quality and quantity. He added that that cells are not ventilated and are small. Prisoners are allowed to leave the cell for only one hour a day, and their hand and feet remain cuffed.

Family visits

Palestinian families cannot visit their sons and daughters in Israeli jails. Only holders of Israeli ID cards can visit their family members. Such a situation has psychologically affected prisoners. Some families have not visited their sons for years.

When a prisoner is released he/she is left by the side of the road in a remote area away from his place of residence. Therefore, he faces many difficulties before he arrives home due to the Zionist sieges imposed over the occupied territories. Some prisoners spend several days before they manage to get home. In other cases the released prisoner is arrested again by the Zionist soldiers at checkpoints before he reaches his home.

Lawyers are also mistreated during their visits to prisoners. This practice is aimed to forcing them to shorten their visits. Sometimes lawyers are forced to wait for hours before they are allowed to visit their clients. This situation applies particularly to the al- Ramleh women prison. 

One new measure taken by the administration of prisons is the separation between the lawyer and the prisoner using a fence, which makes communication more difficult. Lawyers have to be personally searched before meeting their clients. When lawyers end their visits they are held in a room for a long period of time under the reasoning that there is no one to accompany them to leave the prison.