Some inmates have not seen family in years — Amnesty
Areport issued by Amnesty International, containing interviews with prisoners’ family members highlighted the difficulties many complain of in seeing imprisoned relatives, with some saying they have been prevented from seeing relatives for many years.
It quoted “Ahmad”, a 32-year-old from Hebron held in administrative detention in Ketziot prison in the Negev desert, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. He said he has had only one family visit despite spending five-and-ahalf years in an Israeli prison between 2005 and 2017.
He told Amnesty he was joining the hunger strike in the hope it would pressure the authorities to allow his 70-year-old mother, who has been repeatedly denied a permit, to visit him.
He said he had been arrested seven times in total. His administrative detention order is up for renewal on July 29.
“I have had one family visit while in jail. In 2006, my mother and father were able to visit me because my father was sick. He was 75 then, it was the last time I saw him. He died while I was in prison,” he said.
The hunger strike was announced to coincide with Palestinian prisoners’ day which is marked on Monday.
Prisoners’ demands include improved visitation rights from family members and easier access to telephones.
The visitation rights are a case of particular concern.