WOFPP – 10 Oct 2011
http://www.wofpp.org/english/hunger11.html
Solidarity with Palestinians prisoners in the Israeli jails who went on a hunger strike
On 27 October 2011, political prisoners in Israeli jails have declared an open hunger strike. This means that the strike is unlimited and will go on until their just demands are fulfilled. They are protesting against the inhuman conditions of detention and against the deterioration of their conditions. Every day more prisoners join the strike.
Among their main demands:
- Stop holding Palestinians prisoners in isolation cells. Special call to stop the isolation of Palestinians leaders who, for years, have been held in isolation cells.
- Stop prohibiting prisoners’ families from visiting them. For more than five years, the Israeli authorities have prevented all the prisoners’ families from the Gaza Strip from visiting the prison, and also hundreds of prisoners’ families from the West Bank are prohibited from visiting.
- Stop the harassments and humiliation by the Israeli occupation forces of the prisoners’ families on their way to visiting the prison.
- Against the deterioration of the conditions in the prison, including the prisoners’ right to study, against the blocking of television channels, and against the prohibition to let in books.
- Stop the frequent and humiliating searches, including searches in the nude.
- Against health neglect and for appropriate and professional health treatment, according to the prisoners’ needs, including prisoners’ dental care.
On 9 October 2011, four women political prisoners have joined the open hunger strike:
Duaa elJayusi, from Tulkarem, arrested on 7 May 2002.
Worud Kasem, from Tira in the Triangle arrested on 14 October 2006.
Somod Karaja, from Safa, Ramallah district, arrested on 25 October 2009.
Linan Abu Ghulme, from Furik, Nablus district, an administrative detainee, arrested on 15 July 2010.
WOFPP’s lawyer, Taghreed Jahshan, visited in Damoon prison on 10 October 2011 and heard from the administrative detainee Linan Abu Gholme that: the prison authorities punished the women prisoners who joined the hunger strike and took many things from their cell, including television, radio, hot plate, kettle, notebooks, books, pens and all the food that was in the cell, including sugar and salt. In addition, other punishments imposed on them: preventing family visits, shopping in the canteen, sending letters, going out from their cell except for one hour a day at 6:30pm.
The prison authorities also made a very rigid and humiliating search in their cell. During the search the guards created an atmosphere of fear: near every prisoner a guard was standing in a threatening way. The prison authorities threatened the prisoners who joined the hunger strike to transfer them to isolation cells.
We protest against the humiliation of the prisoners who are on a hunger strike and supporting their just struggle against the inhuman conditions in which the Palestinian prisoners are held in the Israeli jails.
Activities for solidarity with the prisoners on hunger stike are held every day.
We join the activities and call to join the activities of support and solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in the Israli jails.
Freedom to the Prisoners of Freedom!
