Quarterly Newsletter — May to September 2019
From May to September 2019, Addameer has documented ongoing human rights violations against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, as well as Human Rights organizations.
Administrative detention continues as a policy which deprives detainees of the right to a fair trial, and the chance to defend themselves against any formal charges. Key issues persistently include the use of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, and the on- going detention of journalists and human right defenders.
Administrative detention continues as a policy which deprives detainees of the right to a fair trial, and the chance to defend themselves against any formal charges. Key issues persistently include the use of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, and the on- going detention of journalists and human right defenders.
Detention in Numbers
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
Ramallah—Al Masyoun, Rafi- den Square, Mousa Tawasheh Street, Sebat Building, 1st Floor, Suite 2
P.O. Box Jerusalem 17338
info@addameer .ps
Find us on:
/addameerassociation @addameer Addameer21 Addameer_Pal
Ramallah—Al Masyoun, Rafi- den Square, Mousa Tawasheh Street, Sebat Building, 1st Floor, Suite 2
P.O. Box Jerusalem 17338
info@addameer .ps
Find us on:
/addameerassociation @addameer Addameer21 Addameer_Pal
From May to September 2019, arrests and detention were perpetrated on a large scale by Israeli occupation forces. Since May 2019, 2384 Palestinians from the occupied territories were arrested.
As of September 2019, there were:
5 000 Palestinian political prisoners425 of them administrative detainees190 child detainees43 female prisoners
7 Palestinian Legislative Council members.
As of September 2019, there were:
5 000 Palestinian political prisoners425 of them administrative detainees190 child detainees43 female prisoners
7 Palestinian Legislative Council members.
In this issue
- The ongoing attacks on Human Rights organizations and their staff in the OPT
- The alarming use of torture during interrogation ses- sions in the hand of the Israeli occupation forces
- Shining the light on individual hunger strikers fighting against administrative detentions
- Torture and medical neglect as systematic policies in Israeli prisons
- Addameer’s news
Quarterly Newsletter — May to September 2019
The alarming use of torture during interrogation sessions in the hand of the Israeli occupation forces
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On Wednesday, 25 September 2019, a special unit of the Israeli occupation forces arrested Samer al-A’rbeed, a 44 years old father of 3 in his house on security grounds. During the arrest Samer was harshly beaten by the Israeli forces using their guns. He was then taken to al-Mascobiyya interro- gation center in Jerusalem and was issued an order that bans him from meeting his lawyer. The day after, Samer had a court session without his lawyer, during which he told the judge he was suffering from severe pain in his chest and could not eat anything. However, he was not immediatly transferred to the hospital. On the 28th of September 2019, the Israeli intelligence department, in a statement released to the press, stated that they have used extreme and excep- tional techniques in interrogations which amount to tor- ture. On the same day, Addameer’s lawyer was informed that Samer was transferred to Hadassah Hospital – El-Esawya. He was also updated on Samer’s critical health situation : he was unconscious and kept on artificial respiration. Samer was in fact transferred to the hospital on Friday morning, 27 Sep- tember 2019, though his family and lawyer were not in- formed of this fact. According to the lawyer, Samer was un- conscious, had several broken ribs, mark were all over his body, and he suffers a severe kidney failure.
Israeli intelligence department issued a statement claiming that Samer and some other prisoners are allegedly involved in an attack on Ein Boben on 23 August 2019. It is worth noting that Addameer’s lawyer was not allowed to visit any of the other detainees as they were issued an order than bans them from meeting their lawyer since the first day of their arrest. However, according to the court session’s protocols all of those prisoners stated to the judge that they suffer from grave physical torture and also psychological torture mainly through arresting their family members continuously. |
The ongoing attacks on Human Rights organizations and their staff in the OPT
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On the 19th of September 2019, at around 2:00am, the office of Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association was raided by the Israeli occupation forces. They stole five laptops, memory cards, three laptop mem- ories, one laptop card and several books.
Addameer sees this raid as a part of ongoing and system- atic attacks against the Palestinian civil society organiza- tion which play a direct role in facing the occupation's violations and demanding accountability. This is part of the occupation's campaign to shrink space, delegitimize and de-fund those human rights and civil society organi- zations. These attacks come in different forms: arbitrary administrative detention of the staff, travel bans for some of the staff, defamation, de-funding attempts, raids, and ongoing harassment of the organization's lawyers. On Wednesday, 25 September 2019, the Palestinian Hu- man Rights Organizations Council (PHRC) met with a number of embassy/consult representatives, international and local organizations to discuss the ongoing Israeli tar- geting to Palestinian civil society organizations. The meet- ing focused in particular on the raid that happened in Addameer's office.
Moreover, the Israeli Military Court is trying to silence Addameers’ advocacy work. The Israeli Court of First In- stances in Jerusalem issued an order on the 10th of Sep- tember 2019 according to which Addameer is banned from providing information to the public on the names and cases of multiple detainees, many of who remain under interrogation and all of who are yet to be charged. This gag order was renewed until the 10th of November. Ad- dameer expresses serious concern for the well-being and health of these detainees, some of whom have been de- tained since late August, as many have also been banned from counsel with their lawyers. Many of these detainees have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment through- out their detention.
Addameer reassures that those constant raids and limita- tions will not stand in the face of any duties the organiza- tion has for Palestinian political prisoners. The organiza- tion will continue to support Palestinian prisoners to flight all human rights violations they suffer from including tor- ture, arbitrary detention and unfair trails. |
Quarterly Newsletter — May to September 2019
Shining the light on individual hunger strikers fighting against administrative detentions
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8 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are currently do- ing individual hunger strikes to protest their administra- tive detentions.
Administrative detention is a procedure that al- lows the Israeli military to hold prisoners indefinitely on secret information without charging them or allowing them to stand trial. In most cases, detainees are not informed of the suspicions against them and both the detainee and his/her attorney are not allowed to see the evidence, on security grounds. The duration of an administrative detention is 6 months and can be re- newed indefinitely. Currently there are 425 administra- tive detainees in Israeli occupation jails. The case of Hiba Al-Labady Hiba is a Palestinian with a Jordanian citizenship. She was arrested on King Hussein’s Bridge her way to the West Bank on the 20th of August 2019, on security grounds. She was taken into an interrogation center and was subjected to continuous interrogations which lasted up to seventeen hours during the first 16 days of her arrest. The interrogations spanned from 9 AM in the morning until 2AM the following day. For the first 25 days of her arrest, she was denied the right to a lawyer as well as visits or consultation. Hiba spent nearly one month in the Petah Tikva interrogation center, where she was physically and psychologically tortured by the Occupation’s authorities. After 32 days of interrogation, Hiba was transferred to Damon Prison. Nine days after her transfer to Damon, the Occupation’s authorities issued a six-month admin- istrative detention order against her, prompting her to announce a hunger strike in the same day. After Hiba announced her hunger strike, she was transferred to isolation in Jalameh Prison, where she reports being abused and harassed by the prison guards. Hiba is be- ing searched every two hours, including throughout the night. Hiba’s isolation cell has surveillance cameras. The designated area for bathing is completely exposed and therefore, she has not been able to shower since arriv- ing to the prison. She is not allowed any yard time. Hiba confirmed that she refused any medical examina- tion until the 1st of October 2019 and had only one ex- amination since. She is not taking any vitamins, nutri- tional supplements or salt. She only drinks water. She has lost 8kg since the beginning of her hunger strike. On the 10th of October 2019, Hiba Al-Labady was in her 18th day of hunger strike. |
The case of Huthayfa Halibia
Huthayfa Haliba was arrested on the 10th of June 2018, a few months after he got married. His wife gave birth to his daughter Majdal while he was in administrative detention and his first and only child is now 8 months old. She has never seen her father. On the 1st of July 2019, he started an hunger strike to demand the end of his administrative deten- tion. He had to put an end to his hunger strike after a seri- ous deterioration of his health but refused the proposal given by the Israeli intelligence department to extend his detention for another two months. During the entire duration of his hunger strike, he only took water and refused to undertake any medical tests. He was denied family visits, or any con- tact with his family whatsoever during his hunger strike.
In the last weeks of his hunger strike, Huthaifa’s health de- teriorated and he started having several spasm attacks and seizures. His sight and hearing got weakened and he was transferred to a civil hospital in the middle of August where he was given some supplements. During the entire time he spent at the hospital, he was handcuffed. He then was taken back to al-Ramlah prison clinic where he continued his hun- ger strike. He was transferred again to a civil hospital on 3 September 2019 after he stopped drinking water and his medical condition required immediate intervention.
Huthaifa reported to Addameer’s lawyer that during his sec- ond month of hunger strike, the “Yamaz” Unit, an Israeli special forces unit, broke into his cell, searched and vandal- ized his contents, cursed and yelled at him and dumped the water and salt he was supposed to take on the ground.
Huthayfa Haliba was arrested on the 10th of June 2018, a few months after he got married. His wife gave birth to his daughter Majdal while he was in administrative detention and his first and only child is now 8 months old. She has never seen her father. On the 1st of July 2019, he started an hunger strike to demand the end of his administrative deten- tion. He had to put an end to his hunger strike after a seri- ous deterioration of his health but refused the proposal given by the Israeli intelligence department to extend his detention for another two months. During the entire duration of his hunger strike, he only took water and refused to undertake any medical tests. He was denied family visits, or any con- tact with his family whatsoever during his hunger strike.
In the last weeks of his hunger strike, Huthaifa’s health de- teriorated and he started having several spasm attacks and seizures. His sight and hearing got weakened and he was transferred to a civil hospital in the middle of August where he was given some supplements. During the entire time he spent at the hospital, he was handcuffed. He then was taken back to al-Ramlah prison clinic where he continued his hun- ger strike. He was transferred again to a civil hospital on 3 September 2019 after he stopped drinking water and his medical condition required immediate intervention.
Huthaifa reported to Addameer’s lawyer that during his sec- ond month of hunger strike, the “Yamaz” Unit, an Israeli special forces unit, broke into his cell, searched and vandal- ized his contents, cursed and yelled at him and dumped the water and salt he was supposed to take on the ground.
Quarterly Newsletter — May to September 2019
Two Palestinian prisoners died in Israeli custody: how torture and medical neglect are used as a sys- tematic policy in Israeli prisons
Between May and September 2019, two Palestinian prisoners died in Israeli occupation jails : Nasser Taqtaqa and Bassem al-Sayeh. Since 1967, 221 Palestinian prisoners died while under the custody of the occupation.
On June 19, 2019, Nasser Taqtaqa was arrested from his home. After being arrested, he was taken to Al-Moscobiyeh interroga- tion center in Jerusalem, where he spent the majority of his detention. He was subjected to very strong interrogation sessions, difficult detention conditions as well as to continuous transfers between interrogation centers. While under interrogation, he was subjected to severe torture and ill treatment, which worsened his health situation. He died on the 16th of July less than a month after he was arrested in Nitzan prison.
According to the medical report, the main reason for his death was a severe lung infection. His death is a direct result of both torture and medical neglect from both the interrogators and jailors.
On September 8, 2019, Palestinian prisoner and journalist Bassam al-Sayeh died in prison.
Bassam was arrested on the 8th of October 2015 while at- tending his wife's court session. Bassam was suffering from bones and blood cancer, a weakness in his heart muscles and medical complications in his liver. Despite his medical situation, the Israeli occupation forces transferred him to Petah Tikva interrogation center. At the time, Bassam in- formed Addameer's lawyer that he was interrogated daily for long hours, and he fainted and lost consciousness several times during the interrogation sessions and in his cell. He was left for around 20 days without any medical care or treatment which led to a serious deterioration in his health.
Due to torture, medical negligence, and the failure in provid- ing him with the medical care he needed, his health deterio- rated, 80% of his heart failed and he became unable to move or speak. He is the third Palestinian prisoner to die in 2019.
Sami Abu Deyak’s case is very similar and his life is today threatened because of medical neglect from the Israeli Prison System. In 2015, Sami began suffering from abdominal pain. The occupation authorities did not allow Sami to be diagnosed for two weeks; only giving him painkillers despite his suffering, until he lost consciousness and was transferred to the hospital. Then, an error during his operation worsened his health condition. Two days after the operation, Sami was transferred to the Ramlah prison clinic, where the doctor reported that his condition was abnormal and his pains were continuing. He was transferred back to Soroka Hospital. Within 48 hours, Sami was transferred five times between Ramlah prison clinic and Soroka hospital without being diagnosed while suffering from constant pain. He stayed in the prison for several months and underwent 4 operations. His critical medical condition was exacerbated by the wrong diagnosis and appendectomy he was given at Soroka Hospital, and he entered a coma for 34 days. Afterwards, he did not stay in a civilian hos- pital long enough to treat his severe health condition. The occupation forces transferred him many times between the civilian hospitals and Ramlah Prison Clinic, which does not have hospital facilities, nor any specialized staff or appropriate treatment services. To this day, Sami still takes drugs and painkillers to ease his pain, and he is unable to sleep or eat normally.
The prisoner Sami Abu Deyak is yet another example of the violations of the basic rights of prisoners on behalf of the occupa- tion forces: the failure to respond in a timely manner to cases of severe illness, delay in the diagnosis of diseases, denial of access to adequate medical care, and continuous transfer and medical neglect.
Medical negligence have become a systematic Israeli policy used against Palestinian prisoners which should force international bodies including the ICRC and WHO to pressure towards holding the Israeli authorities accountable to their crimes.
On June 19, 2019, Nasser Taqtaqa was arrested from his home. After being arrested, he was taken to Al-Moscobiyeh interroga- tion center in Jerusalem, where he spent the majority of his detention. He was subjected to very strong interrogation sessions, difficult detention conditions as well as to continuous transfers between interrogation centers. While under interrogation, he was subjected to severe torture and ill treatment, which worsened his health situation. He died on the 16th of July less than a month after he was arrested in Nitzan prison.
According to the medical report, the main reason for his death was a severe lung infection. His death is a direct result of both torture and medical neglect from both the interrogators and jailors.
On September 8, 2019, Palestinian prisoner and journalist Bassam al-Sayeh died in prison.
Bassam was arrested on the 8th of October 2015 while at- tending his wife's court session. Bassam was suffering from bones and blood cancer, a weakness in his heart muscles and medical complications in his liver. Despite his medical situation, the Israeli occupation forces transferred him to Petah Tikva interrogation center. At the time, Bassam in- formed Addameer's lawyer that he was interrogated daily for long hours, and he fainted and lost consciousness several times during the interrogation sessions and in his cell. He was left for around 20 days without any medical care or treatment which led to a serious deterioration in his health.
Due to torture, medical negligence, and the failure in provid- ing him with the medical care he needed, his health deterio- rated, 80% of his heart failed and he became unable to move or speak. He is the third Palestinian prisoner to die in 2019.
Sami Abu Deyak’s case is very similar and his life is today threatened because of medical neglect from the Israeli Prison System. In 2015, Sami began suffering from abdominal pain. The occupation authorities did not allow Sami to be diagnosed for two weeks; only giving him painkillers despite his suffering, until he lost consciousness and was transferred to the hospital. Then, an error during his operation worsened his health condition. Two days after the operation, Sami was transferred to the Ramlah prison clinic, where the doctor reported that his condition was abnormal and his pains were continuing. He was transferred back to Soroka Hospital. Within 48 hours, Sami was transferred five times between Ramlah prison clinic and Soroka hospital without being diagnosed while suffering from constant pain. He stayed in the prison for several months and underwent 4 operations. His critical medical condition was exacerbated by the wrong diagnosis and appendectomy he was given at Soroka Hospital, and he entered a coma for 34 days. Afterwards, he did not stay in a civilian hos- pital long enough to treat his severe health condition. The occupation forces transferred him many times between the civilian hospitals and Ramlah Prison Clinic, which does not have hospital facilities, nor any specialized staff or appropriate treatment services. To this day, Sami still takes drugs and painkillers to ease his pain, and he is unable to sleep or eat normally.
The prisoner Sami Abu Deyak is yet another example of the violations of the basic rights of prisoners on behalf of the occupa- tion forces: the failure to respond in a timely manner to cases of severe illness, delay in the diagnosis of diseases, denial of access to adequate medical care, and continuous transfer and medical neglect.
Medical negligence have become a systematic Israeli policy used against Palestinian prisoners which should force international bodies including the ICRC and WHO to pressure towards holding the Israeli authorities accountable to their crimes.
Quarterly Newsletter — May to September 2019
Salah Hammouri’s tours in France
Salah Hammouri’s tours in France
Addameer’s legal unit coordinator is still behind held under administrative detention
Ayman Nasser, the coordinator of Addameer's legal unit, was arrested by Israeli Occupation Forces from his home in the West Bank on the 9th of September 2018. In the beginning of September 2019, his administrative detention was renewed for another 4 months. This is the third time his administrative detention has been renewed. He is currently being held with- out charge or trial in Ofer prison.
Addameer condemns the Israeli occupation forces for arrest- ing its legal coordinator multiple times over the past few years, and putting him under administrative detention. The last time he was arrested was in 2014, when he spent over a year under administrative detention. The renewal of Ayman's administrative detention is an clear example of the occupa- tion’s policy of systematically targeting human rights defend- ers. His arrest is a violation of international human rights laws and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Addameer calls on the international community to seriously work to- wards holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes and to release all Palestinian detainees.
ACT NOW !
Addameer condemns the Israeli occupation forces for arrest- ing its legal coordinator multiple times over the past few years, and putting him under administrative detention. The last time he was arrested was in 2014, when he spent over a year under administrative detention. The renewal of Ayman's administrative detention is an clear example of the occupa- tion’s policy of systematically targeting human rights defend- ers. His arrest is a violation of international human rights laws and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Addameer calls on the international community to seriously work to- wards holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes and to release all Palestinian detainees.
ACT NOW !
Salah Hammouri made two tours in France, respectively in July and in September 2019.
He participated to several public events including meetings with parliamentarians, interviews with several French jour- nals and was a speaker at the Fête de l’Humanité, one of the biggest political festival in France.
He participated to several public events including meetings with parliamentarians, interviews with several French jour- nals and was a speaker at the Fête de l’Humanité, one of the biggest political festival in France.
New publications Upcoming events in the U.S. and Europe
- Addameer’s director Sahar Francis will be conducting a lobby tour in Brussels and Berlin starting mid-October 2019.
- Addameer’s international advocacy officer Lana Ramadan will be conducting a speaking tour in the US during the same period. She will be traveling in New York, San Francisco and Chicago.
Between May and September 2019, Addameer pub- lished two fact sheets:
Education within the Israeli Prisons: A Deliberate Policy to De-educate
This fact sheet focuses on the Palestinian child detainees from East Jerusalem and their access to education, both when they are put under house arrest, on in prison. The cases docu- mented present significant grounds which show that the right to education for children in Israeli prisons is undermined, and to some extent denied.
US legislation in opposition to Palestinian rightsThis fact-sheet is an attempt to further explain how Palestini- an rights, and those who defend those rights are affected in- ternationally. It provides an analysis of the politicization of American legislation which growingly opposes Palestinian basic rights as well as the rights of American activists, espe- cially freedom of expression and the First Amendment’s right to participate in political boycotts.
Education within the Israeli Prisons: A Deliberate Policy to De-educate
This fact sheet focuses on the Palestinian child detainees from East Jerusalem and their access to education, both when they are put under house arrest, on in prison. The cases docu- mented present significant grounds which show that the right to education for children in Israeli prisons is undermined, and to some extent denied.
US legislation in opposition to Palestinian rightsThis fact-sheet is an attempt to further explain how Palestini- an rights, and those who defend those rights are affected in- ternationally. It provides an analysis of the politicization of American legislation which growingly opposes Palestinian basic rights as well as the rights of American activists, espe- cially freedom of expression and the First Amendment’s right to participate in political boycotts.
Keep in touch!
www.addameer.orgFollow us on: Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Instagram
Addameer’s advocacy actions in numbers
64 international groups (1 164 people) were briefed by the Advocacy office since January 2019 on the situation of Pales- tinian political prisoners in Israeli occupation jails.
14 visits to military courts were coordinated and organized since January.
10 Know your rights sessions were conducted by Addameer's training and awareness unit since Januray 2019. 3 were con- ducted in Jerusalem and 7 in different villages and cities in the West Bank.
http://www.addameer.org/sites/default/files/publications/newsletter_may_october_bon_1.pdf
14 visits to military courts were coordinated and organized since January.
10 Know your rights sessions were conducted by Addameer's training and awareness unit since Januray 2019. 3 were con- ducted in Jerusalem and 7 in different villages and cities in the West Bank.
http://www.addameer.org/sites/default/files/publications/newsletter_may_october_bon_1.pdf
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