NGO Update: Conditions for Palestinian Prisoners 6 Weeks After Agreement Ends Hunger Strike

Update
 on 
the 
current 
situation 
of
 Palestinian
 prisoners
 and 
detainees
 in 
Israeli 
custody, 
six 
weeks after
 the 
conclusion 
of 
an 
agreement
 between 
hunger‐strike 
leaders 
and 
the 
Israeli 
Prison 
Service (IPS)

26 
June 
2012,
 International Day 
Against
 Torture

On
 14
 and
 15
 May,
 an
 agreement
 was
 concluded
 between
 hunger‐striking
 Palestinian
 prisoners
 and  detainees
 and
 the
 Israeli
 Prison
 Service
 (IPS).
 Its
 provisions
 included
 the
 release
 of
 hunger‐striking  administrative 
detainees
 whose
 lives 
were
 in 
danger
 at 
the 
end 
of 
their 
current
 terms; 
ending
 the 
use
 of

 long‐term 
solitary
 confinement 
for 
“security”
 reasons
 for 
19 
prisoners; 
renewal 
of 
family visits 
from
 the
  Gaza 
Strip
 and 
alleviating 
restrictions
 for 
families 
from
 the 
West 
Bank; 
ending 
punitive measures such 
as
 night
 raids
 and
 restrictions
 on
 access
 to
 legal
 counsel
 and
 education;
 improvement of
 conditions
 of
 incarceration
 including
 medical 
care; 
and 
limiting 
the 
use 
of 
administrative 
detention as a 
whole.


Despite
 this 
agreement, 
Israel
 has 
not 
changed 
its 
policy 
of 
administrative 
detention,
 family
 visits
 from the
 Gaza
 Strip
 have
 not
 been
 renewed,
 and
 punitive
 policies
 are
 still
 employed
 against
 prisoners
 and detainees.


Moreover,
 at 
least 
one 
administrative 
detainee 
who 
was 
due 
to 
be 
released 
has 
had 
his 
detention
 order renewed 
in 
violation 
of 
the 
agreement.

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