Detainees in Azion detention facility facing solitary and abuse

Tuesday August 07, 2007 22:50 by Najeeb Farraj - IMEMC

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported on Tuesday that Palestinian detainees held in the Azion Israeli detention and interrogation facility, in Azion settlement bloc west of Bethlehem, are facing abuse, torture, and that their conditions are gradually declining.

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One of the lawyers of the society stated that he visited a number of detainees in Azion and that there are 80 detainees imprisoned in the detention facility, totally isolated from the rest of the world since two months as visitation for their parents and are not allowed.

Detainee As’ad Al Haimouny stated that he was kidnapped by the army two months ago and was subjected to different sorts of torture during interrogation, and added that he and the rest of the detainees are placed in detention rooms that lack the basic component of human livelihood.

He said that he and the rest of the detainees are awaiting trials since they are still under interrogation, and stated that some detainees have been under interrogation since six months, and are still awaiting to be transferred to central prisons in order to be sent to court.

Al Haimouny also said that he is considering carrying an open-ended hunger strike in protest to the bad conditions and abuse practiced against the detainees, and to demand to be transferred to a central detention facility.

PPS lawyer also met with detainees Mohannad, Nitham, Mohammad and Eyad Abu Sneina, Amer Al Shareef, Imad Abu Aisha, Abdul-shafi Abu Turky, Sa’ad Abu Ramouz, Fuad Al Qasrawy, Eyad Al Karaky, all from Hebron, and detainee Moath Al Awawda from Doura, Mohammad Hameeda, Sufian Abu Hilal from Abu Dees, Ali Al Rashaida from Al Rahaida village near Bethlehem, Raed Ta’amra from Tiqoua near Bethlehem, and Ibrahim Al Zeer from Al Zeer near Bethlehem.

The detainees stated that they are placed in overcrowded rooms and that they are subjected to harsh living conditions and repeated attacks by the soldiers.

There are at least 10.000 Palestinians imprisoned by the Israeli occupations including a minimum of 124 female detainees and 400 children under the age of 18. At least 950 detainees are extremely sick and are in life-threatening situations as they are not provided with the needed medical care and attentions, in addition to 250 detainees who suffer disabilities due to being shot and injured by the army prior to their arrest, among them 25 detainees who are paralyzed and 45 detainees who are suffering from psychological problems and epilepsy due to torture during interrogation.

Translated by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

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