The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported, Monday evening, that a former Palestinian political prisoner from Hebron, died at a hospital in Jerusalem after falling into a coma 50 days ago due to a serious health condition resulting from his imprisonment by Israel, and the lack of medical treated while in prison.The PPS said that Ashraf Abu Thra’, 27, from Beit Awwa village, west of the southern West Bank city of Jenin, was hospitalized at the Augusta Victoria hospital in Jerusalem where he fell into a 50-day coma until his death.
Nasser Qous, director of the PPS in Jerusalem, stated that Abu Thra’ spent six years in the Al-Ramla prison clinic that lacks basic supplies and specialized physicians; he was wheelchair bound, and suffered numerous health complication that were left untreated.
He was released on November 15, 2012 after a serious deterioration in his health condition, and was hospitalized in Jerusalem on the day of his release.
Issa Qaraqe’, Palestinian Minister of Detainees, held Israel responsible for the death of Abu Thra’, and stated that Israel deprived him from the urgently needed medications, physical therapy sessions, and the urgently needed specialized medical attention, an issue that caused serious complications.
He added that three Palestinians detainees died within two years of their release due to serious complications resulting from the lack of adequate and specialized medical attention in prison.
Dozens of detainees died in Israeli prisons due to similar health complications.
The two detainees who died with the last two years, shortly after their release, have been identified as Zakariyya Issa and Zuheir Labbada.
There are currently more than 4500 Palestinians who are still imprisoned by Israel, including 198 children, eight women, and several elected legislators and officials.
79 detainees have died in prison since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada (In late September 2000) due to torture, medical neglect, excessive use of force by the soldiers and interrogators, in addition to several detainees who were executed by the arresting officers, former Political Prisoner, Palestinian Researcher, former political prisoner, Abdul-Nasser Farawna said.
A total of 202 detainees died or were killed in Israeli prisons since 1967; dozens of detainees also died after they were released due to diseases they encountered in prison or due to complications resulting from extreme torture and bad conditions in prisons.
