Palestinian Detainee Denied Right to Healthcare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 April, 2005
Translated from a Press Release from Physicians for Human Rights

Palestinian Detainee Denied the Right to Healthcare and a Fair Trial

On April 27 a hearing was scheduled to take place in the Salem military court in Salem regarding prolonging the detention of Jaber Dalana.

On Thursday, April 24 Dalana and his wife were on their way home to Kiri village from Al Watani Hospital in Nablus, where Jaber had been hospitalized for five days due to viral meningitis (inflammation of membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain). He was released from the hospital with instructions to go home, continue his medication, rest completely, and drink plenty of fluids. Instead he was detained for nine hours at Huwara checkpoint and then arrested without charges. Jaber's lawyer, Mahmoud Hassan, from Adameer, a Palestinian human right's organization who supports Palestinian prisoners, arrived in Salem in the morning of April 27 for the hearing. Jaber, who is currently being detained at Haamek Hospital in Afula, was not released from the hospital and could not be present due to his medical condition.

Attorney Hassan spoke to the military judge but did not manage to receive any information regarding a new date for the hearing. Throughout the day, Attorney Hassan tried to inquire with the military where the hearing will take place without success. On April 28, Attorney Hassan was notified that the hearing regarding Jaber's case had taken place the day before in Salem WITHOUT JABER OR HIS LAWYER BEING PRESENT and that his detention has been prolonged for an additional 15 days.

When Jaber was initially detained for several hours at Huwarra checkpoint, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) contacted the humanitarian hotline of the Israeli Defense Forces. Subsequently a military doctor came to examine Jaber at the checkpoint. When PHR contacted the humanitarian hotline again to inquire about Jaber's condition, they were informed that he was suffering from an ulcer and was being transferred to the Salem Detention Center. PHR then contacted the military appointed health coordinator in the West Bank, Dalia Basa, and gave her the information from Jaber's doctor and the doctor who treated him in Nablus Hospital regarding his meningitis and the necessary treatment.

On Saturday April 23 Jaber was transferred to Haemek Hospital in Afula, where he was diagnosed with meningitis and is still being treated. Jaber is being held in the hospital with his legs in shackles despite the fact that three soldiers are guarding him. The different Israeli authorities deny the rights of Palestinians detainees and prisoners regularly. They do so with the backing of the Israeli Court System.

In this case, Jaber was denied the right for appropriate medical treatment when the military took two days to be convinced by his doctors and human rights organizations that he was suffering from meningitis.

His rights are also being denied since his legs are shackled in the hospital contrary to the law and the regulations of the Ministry of Health and the recommendations of the medical association in Israel. Lastly Jaber was denied the right to a just trial and the right to be represented in court.

Attorney Hassan is appealing the decision to prolong his detention.

At the time of this posting, Jabar had just been transferred from Haemek Hospital back to the Salem Detention Center

For more information Attorney Mahmoud Hassan, Adameer 0546-206-973, 0506-948-107 Anat Litvin, from PHR 0547-322-007

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