Studies center: Suffering of prisoners doubles in summer

[ 11/07/2009 - 02:45 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- The prisoners' center for studies has said that the suffering of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation authority (IOA) jails is doubled during the summer season as a result of soaring heat and humidity, and poor ventilation. The center in a press release on Saturday said that insects spread during the summer season into wards and cells in the Negev desert prison, the Damon jail and old prisons such as Ramle-Nitzan and the old Sheba prison, Nafha and Shatta. Many prisoners told the center that they could not sleep or be at ease in their cells due to the presence of a big number of rats especially in the old wards in Sheba and Ramle prisons. The Israeli prisons authority (IPA) does not allow fans in prisons and humidity soars in the summer season, which doubles their suffering especially in coastal prisons such as Askalan, the center's release said. It added that prisoners also suffer from water shortage and lack of cold water other than the spread of bad smells near a number of prisons such as Nafha and Ramon. Ra'fat Hamdona, the center's director, appealed to all human rights organizations and those concerned with the prisoners' question to pressure the IOA into conducting a medical check-up on all prisoners at least once every year. He also asked for pressuring the IPA into displaying more concern with cleanliness inside those jails and closing old wards in addition to improving ventilation and moving prisoners to better places.