Physicians for Human Rights published a report on the bad treatment and medical neglect the Palestinian detainees are facing in ‘Ofer’ Israeli detention.
The PHR report revealed that detainees in need of medical treatment are tied and caged before and after medical checkups which are mainly “verbal’ without any practical examination.
A representative of the PHR visited Ofer detention, near Ramallah, after several complaints were filed by the detainees and a request of ‘HaMoked’ Center for the Defence of the Individual.
“HaMoked’ is an Israeli human rights organization whose main objective is to assist Palestinians of the Occupied Territories whose rights are violated due to Israel’s policies.
Dr. Ashy Ronen from HaMoked examined six sick detainees and observed the treatment they face in detention.
According to the report released by HaMoked’ there are child detainees between the ages of 16 and 18 in Ofer placed with adult detainees which is a violation of the International regulations.
Also, 80 detainees are suffering from chronic diseases, receiving treatment by military doctors, one nurse and one medic.
Any detainee in need of medical treatment does not receive medical checkups; the doctor or the nurse only asks them questions about their situation, without actually examining them.
Detainees, who are transferred from one prison to another, are mainly transferred without their medical files; prison administration also does not have computerized medical files for the detainees.
PHR report also added that the army does not inform the medical staff in detention on intentions to transfer the detainees for interrogation; prison administration should have the detainees conduct medical checkup before and after interrogation in order to examine the physical and mental effects.
Detainees who need medical checkups are placed in a cage before and after checkup, this cage is guarded by two soldiers with the presence of a medic and the representative of the detainees.
Specialized doctors rarely visit the detention; the detainees in need for specialized doctors are sent to hospitals but they have to wait for longs periods until the day of transfer.
Dentists do not regularly come to the prison, the equipment available is old, and they are not allowed to do surgeries.ÂÂ
Also, the detainees are not receiving any psychological advice or treatment, in spite of the enormous physiological pressures they face in detention and during interrogation, which directly affects them, especially detainees under the age of 16.
