Amnesty International yesterday expressed alarm over the health condition of Muhammad Al-Qeq, a Palestinian prisoner who is on hunger strike in protest against being held under administrative detention.
Amnesty said that it had been informed that Al-Qeq had been transferred to the medical centre of Ramleh prison yesterday after going 17 days without food.
“[Al-Qeq’s] lawyer believes this is an indication that Muhammad’s health condition has deteriorated,” Amnesty stated. “Muhammad must be immediately transferred to a civilian hospital and receive the specialised medical treatment he requires.”
Amnesty alarmed by health condition of hunger-striking prisoner Muhammad al-Qiq #Israel #Palestinehttps://t.co/LPHA6R104v pic.twitter.com/Iy3aNwtkGF
— Ma'an News Agency (@MaanNewsAgency) February 23, 2017
Speaking to Quds Press yesterday, Al-Qeq’s wife, Fayhaa Shalash, said he “still persists [to continue the hunger strike] despite the difficulties facing his life.”
Amnesty said that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) had rejected Al-Qeq’s lawyer, Khalid Zabarqa’s previous request to transfer Al-Qeq to a hospital.
The organisation called on Israeli authorities “to release Muhammad Al-Qeq and all others who have been placed under administrative detention, unless they are promptly charged with an internationally recognisable crime, in proceedings that adhere to international fair trial standards.”
The Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qiq entered on Wednesday the 16th day of his second hunger strike in… https://t.co/xVHAiSq67r
— Team Palestina (@TeamPalestina) February 22, 2017
The Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expressed on Tuesday its “high concern” for Al-Qeq.
“MADA calls all human rights organisations and all bodies concerned with freedom of expression and media freedoms to put pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to immediately release Al-Qeq, and to stop arresting Palestinian journalists over the course of their work, and to stop the Israeli policy of arbitrary administrative detention without charges,” the organiszation said in a statement.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
