Posted on 25-6-2003

Palestinian Prisoner’s 25 Days Of Hunger
From Palestine Monitor, June 23, 2003

A Palestinian prisoner entering his 26th day of a hunger strike in Ramle
prison has been transferred to the prison hospital due to his deteriorating
condition. Twenty seven year old Ahmad Talab Barghouthi began his hunger
strike on May 31, in protest at the conditions of his incarceration.

According to Talab, his father, Ahmad took the decision to refuse food
because the prison administration continued to ignore his protests of the
conditions in which he is kept; isolated in solitary confinement for the
past five months in a prison cell full of cockroaches and mice. “When he
first complained about the conditions the administration didn’t care” his
father said, “and then gradually his situation has been worsening. He told
the guards that he was refusing food and they came into his cell and
removed everything that was his, as a punishment for speaking out. I have
not seen him since he was arrested, and he has not been permitted to see
his lawyer since he began this hunger strike.” “All he wants is to be
treated in a humane way. He is kept in conditions unfit for animals. I want
the international committees for detainees and prisoners and human rights
organisations to see what is happening here to him and all the other
Palestinian prisoners ­ and make Israel to at least treat them humanely.”

Despite the fact that Ahmad was arrested in April 2002, he has yet to be
charged with any crime. Moussa Douwdin who was arrested more than 11 years
ago is also on a hunger strike and has been hospitalised with Ahmad.

For more information contact: The Palestine Monitor, www.palestinemonitor.org