Prisoner Rateb Hreibat, Detainee representative of the Ramla Hospital Prison, stated that after the death of liberated prisoner Jaafar Awad, sick prisoners are sensing the danger threatening their lives and are waiting for their close martyrdom any moment even after their release. They believe that even after their release they will already be half alive and are speculating about the term of their stay in these graves! They have only one wish in this life now, not to be martyred away from their family and loved ones.
The prisoner addressed his cry and the cry of all sick prisoners to all the concerned parties whether officially or personally, to raise their concern towards their cause. He called for a political rally in a time where no tangible action is being offered to the cause of the sick detainees. He stated: “we are suffering tragic circumstances, we are constantly in pain, and the treatment they offer us has not changed since 13 years, it is only painkillers.”
These details have been covered by Ibtisam Al-Anati, attorney of the Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights, in her visit for the sick prisoners in the Ramla Hospital Prison. The patients include: Mansour Mewqada, Nahed Al-Aqra, Khalid al-Shawish, Motaz Obeido, Iyad Radwan, Mohammad Salaymeh, Shadi Daraghmeh, Anan Jallad, Ashraf Abu alHuda, Saleh al-Titi, Mustafa Balut, Hassan Haddad, Mahmoud Abu Osba’, Rateb Hreibat, Abdul Fattah Hoshyeh, Mo’tassem Raddad, and Yousif Nawajaa’.
In his description of the Ramla Hospital Prison, Hreibat affirmed that the conditions are extremely poor; the space is tight and is not fit for 17 sick detainees who mostly move on a wheel chair. The health conditions of prisoners is deteriorating as they also suffer psychological consequences. They are calling upon all the prisons and detention centers to stand up by their side and demand either the return of the sick prisoners to their former prison departments where it is more convenient, or their transfer to civil hospitals.
During her visit, attorney Al-Anati met with three sick detainees who shared their pain:
Prisoner Mohammad Mahmoud Abdul Razeq Salaymeh from Jerusalem / Ras Al-Amud. Arrest Date 6/3/2015. Birth Date 28/7/1993. Health Condition: was shot with live ammunition in his right and left arms, his back, and his leg when arrested. He is moving on a wheel chair. He reported an improvement in health and that he was able to walk for concise periods of time. He takes painkillers whenever necessary.
Prisoner Anan Abdul Raheem Jallad from Tulkarm, born in 14/7/1962. Health Condition: suffering from a state of permanent amnesia, and is psychologically tired. He underwent a proctocolectomy during his previous years in prison as he suffered enterorrhexis, and also had a surgery in his foot due to coagulation.
Al-Anati stated having difficulty in conversing with him as he had deficiency in attention and was not able to remember anything not even the date of his arrest or the circumstances. Jallad could not remember the types of medication he is currently taking, and seemed
psychologically drained and in a miserable situation. In light of his poor conditions, Al-Anati demanded an exceptional act to release him.
Prisoner Shadi Ishaq Younis Daraghmeh from Qalandia Refugee Camp, arrested in 7/8/2014 suffering from an injury in his spinal cord which caused him partial paralysis, in 2007. He had one of his kidneys removed and is not taking painkillers. His health condition demands physiotherapy for his vertebral column, and although he has asked for it multiple times, his demands were ignored like many other demands reflecting a general negligence of the health conditions of the detainees.
Prisoner Daraghmeh confessed having stayed for 59 days of interrogation. After the 40th day, jailors attacked him with metal instruments injuring his foot and causing a bleeding in his intestines. During his transfer to court he was on his wheel chair and as he was crawling to exit the “bosta” prison security vehicle, a metal rod extruding from the vehicle cut through his leg deeply. The judge of the court demanded x-ray pictures of the cuts and the medical reports attesting the veracity of the circumstances are with his lawyer Isma’il Al-Taweel.
Consequently, Hurryyat called upon the international community to take on its ethical, legal and political responsibilities towards the sick detainees in the Israeli occupation prisons, and address the dangers facing their lives due to the policy of medical negligence practiced by the occupation authorities while denying their release. Hurryyat accused the Israeli government of having full responsibility in case anything happens to those prisoners. The center called upon the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross to take immediate action through sending medical committees to diagnose the health circumstances and meet those apt to death any coming moment.