UFree Action Alert: Palestinian Prisoners Hunger Continues

On September 27th, Palestinian prisoners began an open-ended hunger strike, as a form of protest and civil disobedience against the cruel and degrading treatment they receive from the Israeli prison service.

Since the announcement by Netanyahu of 'punitive measures' for prisoners in June this year, the already dire conditions of prisoners have deteriorated rapidly, in order to collectively punishing all 7,000 Palestinian political prisoners for the incarceration of the IDF soldier Shalit.

These includes the denial of basic human rights such as medicines and education; long term isolation of elected members of the Palestinian legislature - some for up to ten years; refusal of family visits and the shackling of hands and legs when meeting family and lawyers. Excessive fines are also used to punish prisoners, who are also denied reading material, subjected to night searches in cells and refused basic healthcare.

Israel’s so-called ‘Administrative law’ has continued the practice of holding Palestinians for unspecified period of time without charge, including children, who are often left traumatised as a result. Journalists have been denied their right to freedom of expression and right of movement .Twenty one Palestinian MP’s are currently detained, and are unable to fulfil their mandate to their electorate.

It is clear that Palestinian prisoners are being denied their most basic rights enshrined in international humanitarian law.

The Israeli authorities must meet the demands of the Palestinian prisoners before the situation becomes critical.

What can YOU do?

Show your support for Palestinian prisoners, especially those on hunger strike by:

• Signing the Ufree petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/supportpalestinianshungerstrike/

And share the link on Facebook and twitter

• Use our model letter below to email the Israeli Embassy – or, write your own

• Contact your MP and ask them to raise this issue in Parliament and the Foreign Office

• The demands of the prisoners are simple – to be afforded their basic rights. Please do all you can to help make this happen.

Contact UFree if you need help with campaigning or information or simply you have questions about our work.

In solidarity,

UFree Network Campaigns@ufree-p.net

Model letter to the Israeli Embassy

Re: Palestinian prisoners hunger strike since 27 September 2011

I write to express my concern about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli run prisons, who have been protesting by undertaking a hunger strike since September 27th, demanding an end to the cruel and degrading treatment they are subjected to at the hands of the Israeli Prison Service.

Since the announcement by PM Netanyahu of ‘punitive measures’ in June, the treatment of Palestinian prisoners have deteriorated rapidly.

Amongst the conditions faced by prisoners is the lack of access to medicines and education; the shackling of hands and legs when going to see visitors; subjected to night searches; refused basic healthcare, reading material and family visits.

The practice of arresting Palestinians without charge for unspecified amounts of time – including 21 MPs chosen by the Palestinian electorate, young children and journalists, which is a clear violation of international law.

The demands of the Palestinian prisoners are:

• End the abusive use of isolation

• End restrictions on further and higher education studies in

the prisons • End the denial of books and newspapers andfamily members

• Re-install all TV channels

• End the excessive use of fines as punishment

• And ultimately end all forms of collective punishment, including the refusal of family visits, night searches of prisoners’ cells, and the denial of basic health treatment.

Please pass my concerns on to the Israeli authorities.

Regards, UFree Network | Media Centre media@ufree-p.net

www.UFree-p.net

ENDS

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