Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts

Saturday, 8 October 2011

Addameer on prisoners' movement and hungerstrike

03.11.2011

Public announcement by Addameer

For joining in the hunger strike, which is approaching the 7th day:

Punishment, isolation, interdiction of advocats’

The movement of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails has started a hunger strike 6 days ago, after the Israeli prison administration had decreased the free space of prisoners significantly. The measures were taken as part of a discriminating media campaign launched by the Israeli government, misleading public international opinion. This campaign was the introduction to a process of vengeful punishments towards the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in order to deprive them of their most basic rights.

The president of the occupying government was quoted on June 23rd 2011 saying, that „ the times of privilege for the terrorists in prison are over“. Addameer notes that since then the Israeli prisons administration implemented a series of actions which turned the situation in the prisons upside down. Examples for these actions are: the prevention of education, the prohibition to bring books and clothes into the prison, increasing isolation treatment of prisoners, introducing monetary penalties of rather large amounts, giving the impression of a revenge treatment, constraining prisoners during lawyer consultation, decreasing the amount of vegetables in prisoners nutrition from 3,5 kg to 1,7kg, preventing visits among inmates of cells and sections in the prison in addition to the continuous isolation treatment 20 prisoners are currently suffering from and preventing a few prisoners from receiving family visits. Among these prisoners is Ahmed Sa’adat, the general secretary of the PFLP and the leaders of Hamas, Ibrahim Hamed, Abbas Assayed, Mahmud Issa, Abdullah Barghouti. At the same time, 2000 Palestinian prisoners have been deprived from their right to family visits and phone calls continuously for the last five years. 700 among these prisoners are from the Gaza strip. Since last June attacks on prisoners by special forces („Nachschon“ and „Drur“) in cells and sections have been witnessed, something which was unknown before. The attacks happened in the late evening hours. During the attacks these special forces used extreme violence against the prisoners, resulting in severe physical injuries. In addition, the prisons administration decreased the duration of family visits from the usual 45mins biweekly to 30 mins once a month. These are the reasons, which lead to the hunger strike, launched by the prisoners’ movement on the 27th of October. This is the last resource to enforce the rights of male and female prisoners, which had been achieved due to great sacrifices in the past.

In the beginning, the PFLP prisoners announced the start of the open hunger strike, carrying the demands of the prisoners’ movement on their shoulders. In an agreement of all political parties, it has been decided that the remaining parties will join in the hungerstrike on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. In case demands would not be met, all political parties intented to participate in the hunger strike indefinitely. This became necessary in the following days. The leaders of the prisoners’ movement increased the measures taken in the hunger strike step by step, excluding sick prisoners in oder to provide them with adequate nutrition and medication.

The Israeli prisons administration responded by isolating dozens of prisoners, including for female prisoners in isolation treatment. At times the prisoners were isolated in tiny cells and photographed with plates of food in front of them. It so happened to inmate Ahmad Abu Al Saud in Rimon prison. The prisoners’ administration also prevented lawyers to visit the inmates on strike. This morning, the Nafha prison administration prevented Addameers lawyer to consult with their clients Ahmad Sa’adat and Jamal Abu Alhyjaa, even though permission was granted the previous day.

Parallely the administration continued the transfer of prisoners in between prisons in order to increase pressure and deconstruct organisational structures of the strike.

Addameer considers the prisoners’ movement demands to be legitimate. Since the beginning of July 2011, legal and human rights associations as well as the Ministry for Prisoners has been trying to raise attention to the aggravation of the situation inside Israeli jails, which occurred due to the oppressive measures implemented upon Palestinian prisoners by the Israeli prison administrations.

Addammeer believes that the protection of prisoners and the success of the prisoners movement campaigns demands and deserves joint efforts of all legal, political and human rights organisations to force the occupying government into treating the inmates according to international law, especially focussing on the 3rd and 4th paragraphs of the Geneva conventions.

In conclusion, Addameer demands:

- To acknowledge the necessity of acceleration and construction of a unified, clear Palestinian strategy, including the mobilisation of a Palestinian popular movement in order to support the prisoners’ demands and freedom through participation in the activities which have been put in place by the popular national associations.

- The international organisations working in the occupied Palestinian territories are asked to attend to their legal responsibilities towards the prisoners’ rights.

- The International Red Cross should break the silence and expose the Israeli excesses in violating the rights of Palestinian prisoners and demand Israeli authorities to respect the ICRC instead of subjecting the organisation to oppressive measures

- The Palestinian national movement should move the prisoners’ rights, freedom and the current hunger strike to the top of the priority list.

- The prisoners’ movement to hold on to their demands and stay unified

Thursday, 6 October 2011

Addameer Berichterstattung zum aktuellen Hungerstreik

The Adameer prisonner’s support and human right association is following the prisoners prostets and the steps taken in the ongoing hunger strike.

A group of prisoners has been transferred by the prison administration, which also prevented them from consulting their lawyers

5th October 2011

An Addameer lawyer who was able to visit Askalan prison yesterday, reported that the prison administration prevented him from meeting the prisoners A'ahed Abu Gholme and Hasan Abu Salama on the excuse that both of them are participating in the hunger strike and are therefore forbidden to have visitors. However, he was allowed to visit Nasser al Naji who mentioned that the prison guards attacked section 5 as well as cells 21 and 22 in Askalan prison the previous day, resulting in a confrontation with the prisoners.

The prisoners state adamently that rubber bullets had been fired at them by the guards. In addition, prisoners have been injured by gas used on them by the prison guards during the attack. The prisoner Nasser added that the prison guards attacked and beat the prisoner Mansour, who is also participating in the strike.

A source in the prison reported that a group of PFLP prisoners who are under hunger strike were moved from al Anqab prison to Oaly Qidal prison. Namely mentioned were the prisoners Thaer Waleed, Anas al_Shantee, Mahmoud Zahran, Nimer Jaber, Abdul Naser Quzmar and Shadi Jarrar.

In Rimon prison a relative of the prisoner Assan Fataftar was prevented from visiting due to his participation in the hunger strike. In Jelbour prison the prisoner Mourless Boourjhel had been given notice that he will be moved from this prison.

The rest of the prisoners in Section 2 and 4 of Jerusalem prison and other Arab Israeli prisoners will join the open hunger strike as well.

GERMAN

Die Addameer Vereinigung für Menschenrechte und Interessen von Gefangenen verfolgt die Proteste und die Entwicklung des andauernden Hungerstreiks.

Eine Gruppe von Gefangenen wurde von der Gefängnisverwaltung verlegt und an der Wahrnehmung von Anwaltsbesuchen gehindert.

5. Oktober 2011-10-06

Ein Anwalt der Vereinigung Addameer, dem es am gestrigen Tag gelang, das Gefängnis von Askalon zu besuchen, berichtete dass die Gefängnisverwaltung ihn daran hinderte die Gefangenen A’ahed Abu Gholme und Hasan Abu Salama zu besuchen. Als Begründung wurde deren Beteiligung am Hungerstreik der Gefangenen genannt. Er war jedoch in der Lage, den Gefangenen Nasser al Naji zu besuchen, der in über einen gewaltsamen Angriff der Gefängniswärter auf sie Sektion 5, sowie die Zellen 21 und 22 im Gefängnis von Askalan informierte. Das Resultat des Angriffs war eine offene Konfrontation mit den Gefangenen.

Die Gefangenen berichten überzeugend vom Gebrauch von Hartgummigeschossen, die von Gefängnispersonal auf Gefangene abgefeuert wurden. Zusätzlich wurden einige Gefangene durch den Einsatz von bisher unbekanntem Gas durch die Wärter verletzt. Der Gefangene Nasser fügte hinzu, dass der Gefangene Mansour, der ebenfalls am Streik teilnimmt, von Gefängnispersonal angegriffen und geschlagen wurde.

Eine Quelle im selben Gefängnis informierte Addameer dass eine Gruppe von Gefangenen, die der Partei PFLP angehört von Al Anqab in das Gefängnis in Oaly Qidal verlegt wurde. Namentlich genannt wurden die Gefangenen Thaer Waleed, Anas al_Shantee, Mahmoud Zahran, Nimer Jaber, Abdul Naser Quzmar und Shadi Jarrar.

Im Gefängnis von Rimon wurde ein Verwandter am Besuch des Gefangenen Assan Fataftar gehindert aufgrund dessen Teilnahme am Hungerstreik.

Im Gefängnis von Jelfour wurde der Gefangene Mourless Boourjehk von seiner bevorstehenden Verlegung informiert.

Die verbleibenden Gefangenen der Sektionen 2 und 4 im Gefängnis von Jerusalem kündigten ihre Teilnahme am Hungerstreik an, ebenso wie andere arabisch – israelische Inhaftierte.

Addameer reports on ongoing hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons

September 29th, 2011

ADDAMEER Prisoners` Support and Human Rights Association

The association follows the protest of prisoners und the new gradual developments of the hunger strike. The punishment which has been imposed on the prisoners in hunger strike

The association reports it’s inside knowledge on the new requests and the hunger strike with the prisoners have implemented in Israeli prisons in order to achieve their goals.

The prison of Ishel, has in response and in attempting to repress the mouvement, transferred the prisoner Ahmad Abu Assououd Anani to isolation treatment in Rimoun prison. The administration also applied the following measures of punishment to the prisoners of Ishel as a result of the ongoing hunger strike:

- prohibition of buying goods in the cafeteria

- shortening of daily walks in the prison yard

- prevention of family visits: for each day of participation in the hunger strike, family visits will be postponed for another month

- in addition, monetary penalties have been imposed of the prisoners participating in the strike

In Nafha prison, the entire prisoners community has announced to join in the strike, as well as 10 prisoners from various prisions, who are members of the Jihad Islamic Movement.

The leader of the Fatah members in prison, Nasser Owaiz, also joined the movement.

The staff of Addameer also knew that on September 30th another step in the hungerstrike will be reached. Prisoners will start refusing to comply with the daily routing of being counted in the morning as well as reject to wear the prisoners’ uniform.

The prisoners report that the prison administration searched all cells of the strikers and removed all electric devices. In addition the guards seperated the prisoners on strike and placed them in separate cells.

Thursday, 8 September 2011

ReliefWeb Updates on occupied Palestinian territory / 08 Sep 2011


Source: AngliCORD
by Jane Still Innocent people, including children, are once again among those who have been killed during ongoing air strikes against Gaza by Israel. At least two children are amongst an estimated nineteen people killed when Israel retaliated against unidentified rocket attacks over the last month. Scores more people were injured. Ms Samira Farah, assistant to the Director of Gaza’s Al Ahli Hospital, said that while they had only treated a few casualties so far, the hospital would struggle to cope with an extended emergency. Staff were working around the clock, she said. ... Read more
Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) 5 Palestinians were killed by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Two of the victims are civilians. Bodies of 3 workers who were missing in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip that had been bombarded by Israeli warplanes were found. A Palestinian child died of a previous wound in the Gaza Strip. ... Read more
Source: Agence France-Presse
JERUSALEM — Settlers are building homes in the West Bank at almost twice the pace that they are being constructed inside Israel, anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now said on Wednesday. The group said analysis of aerial photographs and field visits to settlements in the West Bank showed a vast disparity between construction inside Israel and in the settlements since the end of a freeze on building there. ... Read more

Monday, 11 July 2011

Agence France - Presse /relief web 10.7.2011

Quartet must take 'decisive action': Palestinians

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — The Middle East peacemaking Quartet, which meets on Monday in Washington, must take "decisive action" to restart peace talks, a senior Palestinian official said.

In a statement issued ahead of the meeting of representatives from the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi urged the Quartet to "undertake its responsibilities seriously."

The group is expected to discuss ways to restart stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, in a bid to head off Palestinian attempts to seek membership at the United Nations in September.

The Palestinians have said they will not be deterred from seeking UN membership, but that they remain open to new talks if they are based on clear guidelines and Israel stops Jewish settlement construction during negotiations.

"It is clear that if there is to be any genuine political momentum and progress, then the Quartet has to undertake its responsibilities seriously," said Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

She called on the group to commit to clear guidelines and a timeframe for any new talks, and to "effectively bring Israel to compliance, including a cessation of all settlement activities." Talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down shortly after they restarted in September 2010 when Israel declined to renew a partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank.

The Palestinians have accused Washington of failing to insist on a new moratorium and weakening the Quartet's position on settlement construction, which much of the international community regards as illegal.

"The United States must not again undermine its own standing and prospects for peace by diluting the Quartet's political position or preventing positive engagement on the part of the international community," Ashrawi said.

"The Quartet must exhibit the political will to translate words into action. Until this happens there will be no change to the current status quo."

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