A lawyer representing hunger-striker Muhammad Allan lodged an urgent request to Israeli authorities on Thursday, urging them to consider his release due to his deteriorating health, a prisoners’ committee said.Abir Bakir’s request said that Allan’s health was reaching a critical condition including the loss of sight and hearing, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Committee said.
According to Ma’an News Agency, Allan — a lawyer himself — has been held without trial or charge in Israeli jails under administrative detention since November. He reportedly entered his 59th day of an open hunger strike on Thursday.
Bakir said: ‘The 59th day of an open hunger strike is a very serious and dangerous phase, and he may die in any moment.”
On July 30, the Israeli parliament approved a law allowing prisoners on hunger strike to be force fed if their condition becomes life-threatening, sparking criticism from rights groups and medical experts.
A week after the law was passed, Israeli authorities announced that Allan may be force-fed if his health continued to deteriorate to the point in which his life was in danger.
Allan’s doctors announced at the time that they would refuse to partake in the procedure, which international bodies have likened to torture.
The Israeli Medical Association called the law ‘damaging and unnecessary,’ stressing that its doctors would ‘continue to act according to medical ethics, which prohibit doctors from participating in torturing prisoners.’
Around 5,750 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli jails, over 400 of whom are held under administrative detention.
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