2000 sick detainees are imprisoned by Israel, facing medical negligence

Saturday October 11, 2008 21:35 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

The Detainees Study Center reported that there are approximately 2000 sick detainees imprisoned by Israel, including 160 who suffer from chronic diseases and the Israeli Prison Administration in ignoring their right to medical treatment. 

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The center considered the Israeli policies of depriving the detainees from the needed medical attention as the reason behind the deaths of several detainees. It also said that there are dozens of detainees who are facing life threatening conditions.

Ra’fat Hamdouna, head of the center, demanded Israel to allow medical institutions and specialized physicians to visit the detainees, perform surgeries and provide the sick detainees with the needed medical attention and treatment

Hamdouna added that the detainees have the right to live in dignity and to receive the needed medical treatment.

He also demanded forming a committee to probe the death of dozens of detainees and added that this issue should be considered an international issue and should be supervised by human rights and legal groups.  

The Center appealed local officials and private groups to hold protests in support to the detainees and to expose the illegal Israeli practices against them.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported that 195 detainees died in Israeli prisons, among them 72 detainees who died during the Al Aqsa Intifada which started in late September 2000. Three detainees died due to extreme torture, 17 died due to medical negligence, and 51 were killed after they were detained.

palestine | prisoners | news report saed at imemc dot org