A report prepared and published by the Palestinian Prisoners Society marking the Palestinian Prisoners Day (April 17) revealed that the number of Palestinian detainees who died in Israeli prisons and detention facilities over the last five years has increased significantly arriving to a total of 186 since 1967. including 12 who died during the Al Aqsa Intifada.
The causes of death were torture, lack of medical treatment, psychological and physical pressures they are subjected to.
The society reported that the detainees are repeatedly attacked by the soldiers who break into their rooms and tents, fire gas bombs, rubber-coated bullets at them, confine them to solitary in addition to not providing them with popper and sufficient food and cleaning materials.
Israel uses torture during interrogation in addition to different internationally-barred methods to force the detainees to confess to charges filed against them, and in most cases the detainees are interrogated without even knowing the reasons behind their arrest.
Methods of torture include beating, shaking of the body and head, tying the detainees to chairs for longs periods, violently hitting the detainees on their heads and sensitive parts of their bodies, forcing the detainees to strip, threatening to rape them or rape members of their families, and other sorts of illegal practices.
Also, the society reported that 20% of the Palestinians experienced imprisonment, 186 detainees died in prison since 1967. 200 houses that belong to detainees or their families were demolished, 40000 residents were arrested during the Al Aqsa Intifada, 950 detainees are ill and need medical care including detainees who are in serious conditions, 95% of the detainees were tortured and 2000 families of detainees are not allowed to visit their detained family member(s).
Following is a list of names of detainees who died in Israeli prisons since 2000;
1. Waleed Amro, 34, Doura, Hebron, died on 19/2/2003 in Nafha detention facility.
2. Hasan Jawabra, 21, Al Arroub refugee camp, Hebron, died in Majeddo on 28/5/2004.
3. Anas Masalma, 18, Doura-Hebron, died in Asqalan on 9/3/2002.
4. Bashir Oweiss, 27, Balata refugee camp, Nablus, died in Majeddo on 18/12/2003.
5. Mohammad Abu Hadwan, 65, Shu’fat, Jerusalem, died in Al Ramleh prison on 4/11/2004.
6. Rasem Ghneimat, 27, Ramallah, died in Majeddo on 27/1/2005.
7. Abdul-Fattah Raddad, 22, Tulkarem, died in Al Ramleh on 5/5/2005.
8. Bashar Bani Odeh, 27, Tubas, died in Gilboa’ on 23/6/2005.
9. Ali Abu Al Rob, 20, Jenin, died in Rosh Bena interrogation center on 16/6/2005.
10. Fawwaz Sa’id Atteel, 27, Tulkarem, died in Majeddo on 19/9/2004.
11. Jawad Abu Mgheisib, 18, Dir Al Balah, died in the Negev prison on 28/7/2005.
12. Hayil Abu Zeid, 37, Golan, died on 7/7/2005.
According to data collected by the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the total number of detainees who died in Israeli detention facilities as a result of torture and abuse since 1967 arrived to 186 detainees.
In its report, the society called on the Palestinian people and the international community to expose the Israeli violations to the rights of the detainees who are deprived from the basic rights guaranteed by the international law.
“40.000 residents were arrested in five years, 12 of them died in prison, while Israel continues its attacks against them including the recent attack against the detainees in the Negev detention camp”, the society reported, “It is a scandal for the international community to know about Israelis illegal policies and abuse of the detainees and remain silent”.
At the end of its report, the Prisoners Society warned that if Israel continues its illegal practices and abuse, the pressures practiced against the detainees will inflame “an Intifada” among the detainees, especially sine there are several detainees who have been imprisoned since more than 25 years.
Dozens of detainees are children, under the age of 18, who are deprived from their basic rights, including education. The children are also tortured and abused during interrogation while Israeli interrogators use psychological and physical means of pressures and torture against them".
