Democratic Palestine : 20 (ص 24)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 20 (ص 24)
- المحتوى
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problems. These are mainly internal
problems such as_ stomach ulcers,
kidney problems, inflammation of the
duodenom, intestinal problems and
rheumatism as well as tooth decay,
inflammation of the gums, etc. A
number of the prisoners’ health condi-
tion is so critical that their lives are at
stake. Needless to say, continued
demands to allow the prisoners to set
up a system for obtaining fresh fruits,
vegetables and canned foods, have been
ignored.
The bedding provided is insufficient
to protect the prisoners from the desert
cold at night. Lack of hot water for
washing has led to the development of
skin diseases, as well as contagious
diseases, among the prisoners. For
reading material, only the local news-
papers are allowed into the prison. One
radio is allowed for every 25 prisoners.
Demands to allow visiting between the
cells have been rejected. Most brutal is
the collective punishment imposed on
the prisoners if any one of them is
accused of the slightest misdemeanor.
The stick and carrot policy practiced by
the prison administration leaves priso-
ners at the mercy of the jailers’ moods.
Suffering is not limited to the priso-
ners, but is extrapolated to their fami-
lies as well. They have to suffer in the
knowledge that their sons are cons-
tantly subjected to these brutal condi-
tions, while they remain helpless, pre-
vented from providing any medical
treatment, food or clothing, at their
own expense. When visiting, they are
prevented from bringing anything
which might alleviate their sons’ condi-
tions, even in a minor way. The trip to
Jafre is extremely difficult. (See
parents’ letter for details.) Moreover,
no proper facilities are provided after
the long trip; there is no water, toilet,
24
shelter or proper waiting room. Visi-
ters have to withstand the summer heat
or winter cold before it is their turn to
be allowed in for a ten minute to one
hour visit. The length of the visit is dic-
tated by the mood of the prison autho-
rities. All this intentionally inflicted
physical strain hits the elderly especially
hard. Despite repeated demands to
provide proper facilities for visitors,
nothing has yet been forthcoming.
The deliberate psychological and
physical suffering inflicted on families
and prisoners alike is no less than
inhuman. It is required that all demo-
cratic forces shoulder their reponsibility
in the campaign against the inhuman
practices of the reactionary Jordanian
regime. The struggle for the release of
these political prisoners is a must for all
who consider the defense of human
rights a just cause. @
Parents’
Appeal
The following letter was sent by families of political prisoners in
Jordan to the Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms
in Jordan. At the same time, a protest letter was sent to the Jorda-
nian Minister of Interior.
We are the families of the political
prisoners in Jafre prison, who were
transferred there on September 2nd,
from a number of other prisons, parti-
cularly from Mahatta central prison in
Amman. We condemn the decision ‘to
transfer them, considering it an inten-
tional measure to harass them and us.
To brief you on what happened: In
mid-August, the security forces
stormed Mahatta prison, destroying
and confiscating the prisoners’ belon-
gings, as well as bodily and verbally
abusing them. This was followed by
arbitrary measures preventing families
from providing food and _ clothes,
without the prison administration’s
providing for these needs. Visiting
hours were shortened, and families
body-searched in a humiliating manner
before entry. As a result of all this, our
prisoners declared a protest strike on
August 29th, refusing the visits of their
relatives. As families, we tried in our
turn to protest to the International Red
Cross regional office in Amman.
However, we were forcibly prevented
from doing so by the security forces.
On the fifth day of the strike, our
detainees were transferred from
Mahatta, and from prisons in Irbid,
Salt, Zarqa and Al Joweideh, to the
desert prison, Jafre, 300 kilometers
from Amman. They were transferred
late at night and taken for a seven-hour
journey. Eighty-two prisoners were put
in three barracks. Lack of proper
medical care and a polluted water
supply caused the spread of dysentery.
This is not to mention the complete
absence of reading materials and basic
daily needs, added to inhuman treat-
ment.
This unjust measure is a harsh blow
to us as families. It means we have to
travel 300 kilometers from Amman to
be allowed a maximum of one hour
for visiting. This means spending five
hours going and another five hours
returning, in addition to humiliating
body searches and the strictest obser-
vation during the visit. Moreover, we
have to arrange for a means of trans-
portation ourselves, for there is no
public transportation to the area of the
prison.
As the party concerned with preser-
ving the human rights of our impri-
soned sons, we appeal to you to send
delegations to visit this desert prison as
soon as possible, in order to assess the
reality of the situation and try all means
to alleviate the harsh conditions. @ - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 20
- تاريخ
- نوفمبر ١٩٨٦
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
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