Forty-two detainees of the Islamic Jihad, and thirty detainees of Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of Fateh movement, detained by the Palestinian Authority (P.A), started on Saturday morning, an open-ended demanding the P.A to release them.
The detainees, detained in Jericho, Tubas, Jenin and Nablus, threatened to refrain from talking any sort of medication even if their strike deteriorates their health conditions and require hospitalization.
The spokesperson of the detainees in Jericho Central Prison, Raed Khdeirat Abu al Majd, said that this strike will not stop until the P.A releases all of the political detainees adding that this “battle means either freedom or death”.
Starting on Saturday, a campaign will be launched in the Palestinian territories demanding the release of all political detainees from Palestinian prisons.
Um Qias, head of Mishkat Al Aseer organization, which follows the cases of political detainees in Palestinian Prisons, told the IMEMC that “the Palestinians demand the P.A to release all of the political detainees, and close their files.
“What gives them the right to conduct political arrests”, she said, “Those detainees are fighting for the liberation of their country and people”.
Also, um Qais said that detainee Zuhdi Tbeily, from the West Bank city of Nablus, is suffering very bad health conditions, and nearly died in prison as a result of the lack of medical treatment. He was transferred later on to a hospital.
“Political detainees in Tubas conducted a hunger strike on Wednesday”, Um Qais stated, “The authority promised to improve their conditions, and to release them on Saturday, but so far, nothing happened”.
Um Qais also said that there will be processions in all of the Palestinian areas in order to increase the public awareness of those file and demand the release of the detainees.
Political detainees in Jericho prison to go on hunger strike
Saed Bannoura-IMEMC & Agencies, December 23, 2005, 19:23
Political detainees in Jericho Central Prison announced that they will start an open-ended hunger strike on Saturday in protest to the conditions they face, and demanding their release.
Representatives of 120 detainees from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, and the Islamic Jihad, informed the Maan News Agency during a phone interview that they demand to be released from the Palestinian Prison.
The political detainees demand the P.A to release all of the political detainees from its prisons, and to show steps which encourages the internal dialogue and unity among the Palestinian factions and the P.A.
Also, the detainees said that there are facing bad treatment, and do not receive proper medical treatment and attention.
They added that they also have to buy their own food from the prison canteen.
