13 April 2023
18/2023
ICHR holds Israeli authorities responsible for the life of political prisoner Khader Adnan
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) expresses its deep concern over the life of political prisoner Khader Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for 68 days in a row. The ICHR holds the Israeli government responsible for the lives of both Adnan and all other Palestinian political prisoners held in inhumane conditions. The ICHR further demands the immediate release of Adnan, who is incarcerated under administrative detention (arrest without charge or trial).
According to Adnan’s family, the Israeli Prisons Service refuses to transport Adnan to hospital despite his critical state of health. Adnan is being detained in the Ramleh Prison Hospital facility in extremely difficult conditions. Jailers deliberately subject Adnan to disturbance and sleep deprivation by storming into his cell every half an hour and keeping the lights on. While falling in and out of consciousness, Adnan suffers from hearing and vision impairments, intense pressure in the chest, body convulsions, vomiting of stomach acid, severe wasting, and weakness.
The ICHR stresses that administrative detention constitutes a grave violation of human rights principles and International Humanitarian Law, namely, the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. Currently, some 730 Palestinians are placed under administrative detention orders without definite charges or trials, depriving both detainees and their counsels of the right to defence enshrined in all international laws and instruments.
Against this background, the ICHR calls on:
- The United Nations human rights bodies to uphold their obligations to bind the occupying Power to release political prisoner Adnan with a view to saving his life.
- The State of Palestine to demand that the international community exert pressure on the occupying Power in order to release all administrative detainees, starting with Adnan, in accordance with the International Law and human rights treaties.
- Local and international media outlets to cast light on administrative detention and deteriorating conditions of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisoners.
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