Democratic Palestine : 19 (ص 12)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 19 (ص 12)
- المحتوى
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achieve over years of struggle, mainly
through hunger strikes.
The repressive measures against our
prisoners are part of the authorities’
iron fist policy against all the Palesti-
nian people in occupied Palestine. This
aims at prohibiting our people from
expressing their rejection of the occu-
pation and its settlement plans. 1,100
Palestinians were fined and imprisoned
between April and September of 1986.
Sentences were passed on the basis of
the repressive Tamir law which allows
for trial and conviction, even if there is
no concrete evidence or confession. The
total of the fines imposed by the mili-
tary courts on Palestinians during the
same period exceeded $224,000.
The following are the main incidents
in Israeli prisons during the past few
months:
1 On April 16-17th, while the 250
political prisoners in Jenin prison were
preparing for the International Priso-
ners’ Day celebration, the authorities
attacked them, using bats and tear gas,
and gas that irritates the skin with
week-long effects.
2. On May 3rd and May 9th, the
authorities prohibited the prisoners’
families from visiting them in Kafr
Yona prison (Beit Lid). On June 9th,
the authorities refused to allow the pri-
soners to conduct prayers for the
Muslim holiday collectively. The sol-
diers attacked the prisoners, and used
tear and skin-irritant gas.
3. On May 27th, more than 800 pri-
soners in Jnaid, Nablus central prison,
declared a hunger strike to continue
until the. authorities respond to their
just demands. The prisoners decided to
have a hunger strike after the authori-
ties refused to recognize and meet with
their elected representative. The
authorities also refused to meet with
some of the prisoners to discuss certain
practical issues. The authorities also
issued a decree that forces every pri-
soner to go to the prison administration
personally if they need anything.
4. On June 2nd, the 48 political pri-
soners in Bir Saba’ declared a hunger
strike, and issued a statement appealing
to public opinion for support to fulfill
their just demands.
5. On June 20th, the Zionist authori-
ties of Jnaid prison in Nablus attacked
families who were trying to visit their
imprisoned relatives. The authorities
used bats and tear gas. The prisoners
were continuing the hunger strike they
began on May 27th, protesting their
miserable conditions.
6. On June 21st, the authorities in
Neve Tirza women’s prison attacked
the 20 Palestinian prisoners, after push-
ing Israeli criminal prisoners to start a
fight with the Palestinian political pri-
soners.
7. On July 18th, Zionist soldiers
attacked Palestinian prisoners in Gaza
prison. Some of the prisoners were for-
bidden to see their relatives. The pri-
soners’ families were also attacked with
tear gas bombs. Moreover, many
women and children were injured when
10
the soldiers sprayed them with water
hoses, to keep them from seeing their
relatives in the prison.
8. On July 23rd, a new section was
opened in Hebron (AI Khalil) prison,
completely isolated from the old
prison. The political prisoners were
moved into the new section, alongside
criminals. The new section does not
have any hot water or library for the
prisoners.
9. On August 3rd, the Palestinian
prisoners in Hebron prison went on a
hunger strike for five days. Another 85
teenage prisoners joined in the strike in
solidarity. Four of the political priso-
ners were transferred to Ramleh prison
hospital, after they were beaten by the
prison administration. The prisoners’
mothers held a sit-in at the Interna-
tional Red Cross centers in Hebron and
Jerusalem, in solidarity with the poli-
tical prisoners. The sit-in was dispersed
by force.
10. On August 22nd, 54 Palestinian
prisoners in Ramleh prison went on a
hunger strike, because they had been
moved to criminal wards, and because
the prison administration searches their
cells four times a day.
11. On August 26th, 300 Palestinian
prisoners went on a hunger strike. The
prisoners announced they would con-
tinue the strike until their demands are
fulfilled.
GENERAL DEMANDS OF
THE PALESTINIAN POLI-
TICAL PRISONERS
1. To halt the use of all physical
violence against the prisoners, such as
beating by bats, using tear gas and
skin-irritant gas, solitary confinement
for long periods and in dark rooms.
2. To resolve the problem of over-
crowding in the prisons, to insure the
minimum room for sleeping. (The
authorities put 32 prisoners in one cell
that takes a maximum of 18 prisoners.)
The prisoners also demand that the
place for their breaks be enlarged. 100
prisoners take their break in a 72 square
meter area. They also demand a longer
break, and to be allowed sun and fresh
air which are necessary for the human
body.
3. To remove the iron plates that are
fixed on the windows of the cells, as
these prevent light and air from coming
through.
4. To improve the quality and quan-
tity of the prisoners’ food.
5. To provide equipment to clean
the cells and the clotnes of the priso-
ners. Unsanitary conditions have
caused the spread of insects in the cells,
a problem which is especially severe in
Kafr Yona prison. In addition the pri-
soners demand that enough water and
soap be provided for baths and washing
clothes. (The administration gives one
bar of soap to every 13 prisoners.)
6. To allow news papers, magazines,
and educational books that are issued
in occupied Palestine, and to stop the
confiscation of books and reading
material owned by the prisoners.
7. Improving the quality of medical
treatment given to the prisoners. Many
prisoners suffer from contagious skin
diseases. To allow the prisoners to have
surgical operations and to see specia-
lists.
8. To recognize the committees
elected by the prisoners as their repre-
sentatives to speak on their behalf to
the prison administration. In addition,
not to isolate the elected prison repre-
sentatives. or move them to other pri-
sons.
9. To separate Palestinian political
prisoners from criminals, and to keep
the Israeli criminal prisoners away
from the Palestinian women prisoners
in Meve Tirza and Abu Kabir prisons.
To stop allowing the Israeli prisoners to
attack the Palestinian political priso-
ners.
10. To improve visiting conditions,
providing waiting places to protect
visitors from heat and rain, and to stop
provoking and humiliating them.
The Israeli prison authorities refuse
to fulfill the just demands of the priso-
ners. They plan even more repressive
measures, ignoring the strikes, sit-ins
and protests by prisoners and their
families, and the mass organizations in
occupied Palestine.
The main task of our committee is to
work to force the Israeli authorities to
stop the fascist measures against the
Palestinian prisoners. We call upon all
committees, associations and media
institutions to stand by us and protest
these practices against the Palestinian
political prisoners. We also call upon
you to send investigation committees,
and expose the results to public opi-
nion. Our committee is willing to pro-
vide any help (i.e., information) you
need to express your solidarity with our
prisoners, and your condemnation of
the Israeli authorities’ practices.
COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENSE
OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS
IN ISRAELI JAILS
P.O. BOX 12601
DAMASCUS, SYRIA ® - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 19
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