Israeli occupation authorities take new escalatory steps against Palestinian female prisoners
OCCUPIED PALESTINE, Feb. 16 (YPA) – The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has reported that the Israeli occupation authorities have implemented new escalatory measures against 13 Palestinian female detainees in ‘Damon’ Prison.
In a statement, the commission explained that the occupation forces have distributed the detainees across three rooms, with a weekly and sudden reshuffling aimed at causing persistent discomfort and instability in their daily lives inside the prison.
It highlighted that one of the most pressing challenges faced by the detainees is the extreme cold. The rooms are unbearably chilly, with windows left open all the time, while the detainees lack sufficient clothing and adequate blankets to cope with the harsh winter conditions.
The commission noted that daily outdoor time in the sun is scheduled at seven in the morning for one hour. Despite repeated requests from the detainees to shift this to midday, allowing them to better benefit from the sunlight and avoid the morning chill, the authorities insist on keeping it early as a deliberate form of harassment.
It further emphasized that the treatment by prison guards is exceedingly harsh, especially during transfers for legal visits or medical appointments. On such occasions, detainees are subjected to having their hands tied behind their backs, blindfolded, and often pushed or dragged forcefully and painfully.
The commission also reported a recent incident where a security officer entered the detainees’ rooms at night without prior notice while they were sleeping, causing significant distress, particularly as they sleep without head covers. As a result, many detainees have started wearing head coverings to bed out of concern for future intrusions.
A recurring provocation was also pointed out, occurring every Friday, when a section officer summons three or four detainees and places them in an extremely cold cell for one to two hours before returning them to their section.
Additionally, in recent days, meals delivered to the detainees have been left aside for approximately two hours before being distributed to the rooms in a cold state. The food itself is bland and served in meager portions, compounding their suffering.
YPA