RAMALLAH _ Palestine News Network
A number of institutions announced on Monday the launch of an international campaign for the release of sick prisoners with disabilities, which the occupation authorities continue to arrest inside their prisons, and refuses to release them.
In a press conference held at the headquarters of the government information center in Ramallah, Misir Al-Din Samarra told "Al-Quds.com", in conjunction with World Day for Persons with Disabilities, that "launching the campaign that (The International Campaign for the Release of Persons with Disabilities in Israeli Prisons), which is based on: the PLO, the Prisoners´ Affairs Authority, and the Organization of the Disabled without Borders.
Samaro explained that the main objective of the campaign is to hold an international conference that brings together all the parties that have signed all the international conventions to demand the release of prisoners with disabilities as prisoners of war according to international conventions and must be returned to their state in order to deal with them. Statistics and information for the international community on prisoners with disabilities, with the aim of exposing Israel to the international community.
Samarra stressed that the campaign came to expose the practices of the Israeli occupation against prisoners with disabilities, in order to highlight their suffering, where Israel refuses to release them despite the constant demands, which is the world must stand by the Palestinian people and prisoners, especially people with disabilities.
"Israel has not responded to the demands of the international community on the issue of prisoners with disabilities, and has completely violated all international agreements. Today we are launching this international campaign and we call on the United Nations to convene an international conference on prisoners with disabilities," he said.
Samarra pointed out that many countries around the world and international institutions and officials have been working to release persons with disabilities in Israeli jails, while a decision was issued three years ago by all parties to visit an international fact-finding committee to the prisons of the occupation to view the situation of prisoners with disabilities But Israel hit the wall and rejected the decision.
"Israel continues to detain more than 5,500 prisoners in its prisons, distributed in 22 prisons and interrogation centers, including 350 sick prisoners in need of permanent medical follow-up," said Rakeya Karaja, the head of the medical file in the prisoners´ affairs committee. 47 prisoners with physical, psychological, visual and auditory disabilities. "
Karajah explained that among those prisoners with disabilities, eight prisoners with paralysis, 17 prisoners with motor disabilities on their lower limbs, 22 prisoners suffering from mental and neurological diseases, in addition to the presence of about 10 people with vision problems, and lost 70% of the Vision.
The medical file in the prisoners´ body referred to Israel´s practice of medical negligence against prisoners with disabilities, as well as systematic violations of their treatment, failure to provide medical doctors or doctors in emergency situations, failure to provide medical equipment, or procrastination in their treatment , And transporting them through the bus, where the prisoners suffer a lot, while the clinic lacks Ramle prison for necessary medical equipment or living conditions appropriate, and spread insects and mice.
In addition, the clinic does not fit the needs of patients with the nature of their diseases, and there is no equipment available from wheelchairs or crutches, and if available they may be at the expense of the families of the prisoners, and many others suffering from sick prisoners with disabilities.
Karajah noted that prisoners with visual disabilities find it difficult to teach because there are no Braille books.
Karajah pointed out that some of the prisoners with disabilities suffer in addition to their disabilities chronic diseases such as prisoner Mohammed Barash, prisoner Nahd al-Aqra, prisoner Mansour Mqdah, prisoner and Khaled Shawish.
She called on all international human rights institutions and the international community to place the issue of prisoners and prisoners in the priorities of their work, to monitor and document the violations against the prisoners and to adapt the legal efforts to expose the occupation policy to international courts and forums and to compel Israel to respect international humanitarian law and the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions .
For his part, member of the executive committee of the PLO, Wasel Abu Yousef, said that "international and legal institutions are called upon to put in place mechanisms to protect prisoners and pressure the occupation to release prisoners with disabilities and work to stop the medical negligence against them."
He pointed out that the PLO gives this exceptional attention, but the occupation bears direct responsibility for what can be produced and obtained for the prisoners.
Abu Yousef stressed that the Israeli snipers intentionally shoot at demonstrators in the Gaza Strip marches towards their limbs in order to cause their disabilities, which was observed that 100 injured limbs were amputated lower or upper.
