Jaffa-Ramallah, 31 May 2012 – The health conditions of Mahmoud Sarsak, currently on his 74^th day of hunger strike, and Akram Rikhawi, currently on his 50^th day of hunger strike, are rapidly deteriorating. 

Despite the urgency of their conditions, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) is still denying access to independent doctors from Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel) to visit them and refusing to transfer them to civilian hospitals for proper treatment. Judge Abraham Talgave of the Israeli District Court gave the IPS as much as a 12-day period from yesterday, 30 May, to permit the access of the independent doctors to both prisoners. PHR-Israel, Addameer and Al-Haq are outraged by the IPS’ blatant breach of health rights and by the Israeli District Court’s disregard of the immediate danger to their lives.

Mahmoud Sarsak¹  entered his 74^th day of hunger strike today. He launched his hunger strike on 19 March after his detention was extended for the sixth time on 1 March, in protest against his ongoing detention without charge or trial under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law. He was transferred to the IPS medical center in Ramleh prison on 16 April following the deterioration of his health. At one point during his hunger strike, Mahmoud was promised that his detention would not be extended and he would be released on 1 July if he agreed to end his hunger strike. Since he insisted to have the agreement in writing, the offer was withdrawn. He was not included in the final agreement that ended Palestinian prisoners’ mass hunger strike on 14 May, either in its written or oral form. When he inquired as to the date of his release, Mahmoud was told that it will only be considered at the next date of judicial review for his detention, on 22 August. During the last visit with an Addameer lawyer on 23 May, Mahmoud’s health was in such grave condition that he could only speak with her for a matter of moments.

Akram Rikhawi, also from the Gaza Strip, was arrested on 7 June 2004 and sentenced to 9 years imprisonment. He has been held in the Ramleh prison medical center since his arrest as he suffers from many different chronic conditions, including diabetes, asthma and osteoporosis. Akram launched his hunger strike on 12 April, demanding that his medical condition be considered during the discussion of his request for an earlier release. Every prisoner is entitled to ask to be considered for an earlier release when he has served at least two thirds of his sentence. PHR-Israel has been trying to gain access to Akram since 6 May, and has been consistently denied.

An appeal on behalf of Mahmoud and Akram was submitted by PHR-Israel to the District Court on 24 May to demand an immediate visit by independent doctors. The judge granted the IPS until 10 June to allow independent doctors access to both prisoners, in complete disregard of their grave health conditions and the possibility that time is running out. According to the World Medical Association, in most cases death occurs between the 42^nd and 72^nd days of hunger strike. The IPS medical center is not a hospital and is not properly equipped to handle the physical deterioration and effects of long-term hunger strike, in addition to the fragile recovery period post-hunger strike. Furthermore, in a civilian hospital there are better opportunities for creating conditions that will allow open and trustworthy dialogue between doctor and patient. Such dialogue may be essential in bringing about an agreed upon resolution, and save the lives and health of the patients. 

PHR-Israel, Addameer and Al-Haq reiterate that these hunger strikers are in grave danger and urgently demand the following actions:

• The IPS must immediately transfer Mahmoud Sarsak and Akram Rikhawi to a civilian hospital;
• The IPS must allow immediate visits by independent doctors;
• The IPS must immediately allow family visits to the hunger strikers;
• Mahmoud Sarsak, held without charge or trial, must be immediately released;
• A fair and objective review of Rikhawi's request to shorten by a third his imprisonment period must be conducted.

 

Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association Sahar Francis General Director		Physicians for Human Rights Israel Ran Cohen Executive Director		Al-Haq Shawan Jabarin General Director

 

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1 Mahmoud Sarsakis 25 years old, from Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud was a member of the Palestinian national football team before his arrest. He was arrested on 22 July 2009 at Erez checkpoint while on his way to a national team contest in the Balata Refugee Camp in the West Bank. He was given a detention order on 23 August 2009, according to Israel’s “Unlawful Combatants Law,” in which Palestinians from Gaza can be held for an unlimited amount of time without charge or trial. In practice, the Unlawful Combatants Law contains fewer protections for detainees than even the few that are granted under administrative detention orders in the West Bank.  For more information about the Unlawful Combatants Law, see http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=293.