Palestinian Prisoner loses eye during interrogation in Israeli detention camp

Monday June 04, 2007 16:27 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Asem Dabaya, a released Palestinian prisoner from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, lost his eye during the interrogation he was subjected to an Israeli detention camp.

Dabaya, 24, who spent 25 months in the Israeli detention camp known as Btaah Tikva, paid a fee of 2000 NIS in order to get out of detention camp. He was kidnapped by the Israeli army while he was going to the city of Jericho were he works as a security officer in the Palestinian Authority.

During the interrogation the Israeli secret police tortured him heavily for a sustained period of time. After telling the authorities that he had an eye problem, the interrogators hit his damaged eye in attempt to force a confession from him.

The Israeli detention camp administration refused him medical help until his situation became critical, after which he was moved to a military hospital for treatment.

In the hospital, doctors refused to give him the proper medical help and instead issued him only with pain killers. When he complained, the staff threatened that they would damage his other eye also. After a month of this, the former prisoner lost his left eye.

Dabaya was released several days ago. He immediately informed the press of his story and of the continuous suffering of at least 12,000 Palestinian prisoners, many being held without charge at various detention camps throughout Israel.

jenin | prisoners | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org