From jail, Palestinian appeals for medical help

Salfit – Ma'an – A Palestinian man sentenced to life in an Israeli prison appealed to rights organizations Wednesday via officials at the Detainees Center in Salfit, saying he fears an undiagnosed and untreated medical condition is endangering his life.

Foad Atiyeh Qar’an was imprisoned 18 May 2007 and sentenced to 25 years. He says he is sick, in constant pain in his stomach and intestines, can eat little, and sleeps less due to the condition.

According to his letter, Qar'an was taken by prison officials to the Ar-Ramleh prison hospital several times, but said each doctor attributed the pain to a different cause, and to date he has only been prescribed light painkillers for the condition.

The painkillers are not enough to dull the condition, he said in the letter, adding that he had written his own lawyer several times to appeal to rights groups to have him seen by a doctor and provided treatment.