Palestinian leader calls on UNHRC to help save hunger striking prisoners

The head of the Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs today called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to immediately intervene in order to save the lives of three hunger striking Palestinians held without charges or trial in Israeli prisons, as the council continued its 33rd session at the UN headquarters.

In the statement, Issa Qaraqe demanded that the UN uphold its legal and ethical obligations and take action to stop Israel’s arbitrary use of administrative detention – a policy of internment without charge or trial almost exclusively used against Palestinians – adding that Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners violated UN resolutions and international humanitarian law.

Qaraqe highlighted to the UN that Malik Al-Qadi, who has entered his 60th day on hunger strike, was fighting death at Israel’s Wolfson Medical Centre after slipping into a coma on Saturday. The hunger striker reportedly suffers from a severe lung infection, a low heart rate, urinary system complications, puffiness around the eyes and hearing loss.

According to Qaraqe, Al-Qadi has continued to be held at the Intensive Care Unit of the medical centre and has not been responding to treatment as his health condition remained critical.

While Israeli prison officials have forced treatment on the prisoner in order to get him out of the coma, Al-Qadi had previously announced his refusal to be treated during his strike regardless of his health condition.