Pregnant Detainee delivers her baby under harsh conditions

Saturday January 19, 2008 05:39 by IMEMC Staff

Palestinian Ministry of Detainees, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, reported on Friday that detainee Fatima Al Ziq, from Gaza, delivered her baby, Yousef, in Kfar Saba Israeli hospital. She was subjected to harsh treatment while being transferred to the hospital and was cuffed.

Archive Photo

Head of the Ministry of Census, Abdul-Nasser Farawna, said that Fatima was not allowed to have any family members while she was in delivery and was not allowed any visitation after she had her new born baby.   

Farawna added that two days ago his Ministry voiced several appeals to Human Rights Groups and the International Red Cross to intervene and provide Fatima with the needed medical attention.

He also stated that Fatima, 40, is a mother to eight children, in addition to her new born baby. She was kidnapped by the Israeli army on the Eretz Crossing on May, 20, 2007, while she was accompanying her niece Rawda Habeeb, who was also kidnapped with her.

Fatima was subjected to different sorts of torture and is still detained without charges or trial.

Farawna elaborated that the number of infants who were born in Israeli prisons since the outbreak of the Al Aqsa Intifada in September 28, 2000, arrived to four.

Farawna also stated that those children lived months and years in Israeli detention facilities, and that such conditions will affect them and their development as chains and bars will always remain in their minds.

The Ministry of Detainees voiced appealed to several Human Rights groups to intervene and practice pressure on the Israeli Authorities to allow its lawyers and the Family of Fatima to visit her, and called on Human Rights Groups ensure that Fatima receive the adequate food and suitable environment in addition to adequate medical attention.

It is worth mentioning that Fatima is barred from her visitation rights and did not see any of her children since she was kidnapped by the army last year.

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