UpdateonthecurrentsituationofPalestinianprisonersanddetaineesinIsraelicustody,sixweeksafter theconclusionofanagreementbetweenhungerstrikeleadersandtheIsraeliPrisonService(IPS) 26June2012,InternationalDayAgainstTorture On 14 and 15 May, an agreement was concluded between hungerstriking Palestinian prisoners and detainees and

nd the Israeli Prison Service (IPS). Its provisions included the release of hungerstriking administrativedetaineeswhoseliveswereindangerattheendoftheircurrentterms;endingtheuseof longtermsolitaryconfinementforsecurityreasonsfor19prisoners;renewaloffamilyvisitsfromthe GazaStripandalleviatingrestrictionsforfamiliesfromtheWestBank;endingpunitivemeasuressuchas night raids and restrictions on access to legal counsel and education; improvement of conditions of incarcerationincludingmedicalcare;andlimitingtheuseofadministrativedetentionasawhole.

Despitethisagreement,Israelhasnotchangeditspolicyofadministrativedetention,familyvisitsfrom the Gaza Strip have not been renewed, and punitive policies are still employed against prisoners and detainees.

Moreover,atleastoneadministrativedetaineewhowasduetobereleasedhashadhisdetentionorder renewedinviolationoftheagreement.

On a broader level,the underlying issue ofimpunityremains a constant and the ongoing issue of torture andilltreatmentwithnocriminalinvestigationsofreportedabusescontinues. 1.Background:Theagreements

Firststage14May2012 AgreementreachedbetweenIsraelandrepresentativesofthehungerstrikers(acommitteeofnine prisonersfromallpoliticalfactions),withinvolvementoftheleadershipsofFatah/Palestinian Authority,HamasandtheEgyptiangovernment.Itdealtspecificallywiththedemandsofover1,600 prisonerswhostartedamasshungerstrikeon17Aprilmainlysentenced'security'prisonersrather thanadministrativedetainees. Mainprovisions:inreturnforacompletecessationofpoliticalactivityofprisonersfromwithinthe prisons,19prisonerswouldbereleasedfromsolitaryconfinement(ameasureusedpunitivelyand/or againstpoliticalleaders)tobewithotherPalestinianprisoners,andfamilyvisitsforfirstdegree relativeswhoaredeniedaccesstotheprisonsfromGazaandtheWestBankwouldberenewed. Administrativedetention:initiallyonlyamarginalpartofthedeal,thisissuedidnotappearin writing.Thisarousedangeramongaseparategroupofadministrativedetaineesonhungerstrike, whohadbeenfastingmuchlongerandwhosekeydemandwastobereleasedfromdetentionand cessationofthepolicyingeneral.Theyrefusedtobreaktheirfastandweresupported publicly.Becauseofthiscriticismandthedangerousmedicalsituationofatleastfiveofthehunger strikingdetainees,theprisoners'representativesandPalestinianleadershipscontinuedtheir negotiationsuntilassuredbytheEgyptiangovernmentthattheagreementwouldalsoincludethis issue.AninformalagreementwasreportedlyreachedbetweenIsraelandEgypttolimitfutureuseof administrativedetentionto'veryserious'cases,andtoreexaminerenewalofcurrentcases,but therewasnoundertakingforthereleaseofall.Egyptundertooktofollowtheimplementation closely. Formalisation:TheonlypublishedwrittentextoftheagreementisthatcomposedbytheIsraeli secretpolice(Shabak,alsoknownasGSSorISA)andpostedontheIsraeliMFAwebsite,availableat

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2012/End_hunger_strike_security_ prisoners_14May2012.htm#understandings.Accordingtotheprisonersrepresentatives,a
slightlydifferentdocumentwasactuallysignedwiththeunderstandingsmentionedabove,including thoseonadministrativedetention,butithasnotbeenmadeavailabletothepublic.

Secondstage15May2012 EarlyinthemorningofTuesday15Maythestateagreednottorenewtheadministrativedetention ordersofthefivelongeststrikingdetaineeswhosemedicalconditionwastheworst,andtorelease themoncetheyhadcompletedtheircurrentdetentionorders,inamannersimilartothe understandingreachedwithhungerstrikingdetaineeKhaderAdnaninFebruarythisyear.These detaineesthenagreedtobreaktheirfast. 2.ResultsGeneral As of 1 June 2012, 4,659 Palestinian prisoners were in Israeli custody, including 303 administrative detaineesheldwithoutformalchargeortrial.Anadditionaldetainee,MahmoudSarsak,isalsobeingheld withoutchargeortrialunderthe'UnlawfulCombatantsLaw,'appliedtoresidentsoftheGazaStrip. Sincetheagreement,administrativedetentionordershavebeenrenewedformanyexistingadministrative detainees and newly arrested persons have been placed in administrative detention; others have been releasedattheendoftheirordertermsinaccordancewiththeagreements. 3.Situationoflongtermhungerstrikerswhosereleasewaspromisedundertheagreement: a.HassanSafadiendedhishungerstrikeafter71days.Hiscurrentadministrativedetentionorderwasdue toexpireon29June2012and,accordingtotheagreement,hewassupposedtobereleasedonthatdate. However,hislawyerwasinformedon21Juneoftherenewalofhisadministrativedetentionorderfora furthersixmonths,inviolationoftheagreement.Hehasrenewedhishungerstrikeinresponse.Hewas subsequentlytransferredtosolitaryconfinementandisinHadarimprison. After the agreement was reached and Safadi stopped his strike, he was examined by an independent doctorfromPhysiciansforHumanRightsIsrael(PHRIsrael)on6June2012atHadarimprison.Generallyhis healthwassatisfactoryandhehadgainedabout7kg,butthedoctorwasconcernedabouttheabsenceofa stablerefeedingnutritionplanandthelackofmedicalfollowupexaminationsthatweresupposedtobe conductedearlierduringthehungerstrike.Amedicalreportwiththedoctor'srecommendationswassent totheIPSforfurtherfollowupbutnoresponsehasbeenreceivedtodate. b.BilalDiabendedhishungerstrikeafter77days.Hiscurrentadministrativeorderendson11August2012 andheshouldbereleasedonthatdateaccordingtotheagreement.Afterthestrikehewasexaminedbyan independent doctor from PHRIsrael on 6 June 2012 at the medical facility of the IPS in Ramleh prison. Generallyhishealthwassatisfactory.Hegainedabout10kginapproximatelytwoweeksafter77daysof fasting;however,thedoctorwasconcernedregardingtheabsenceofastablerefeedingnutritionplanfor him. AbouttwoweeksagohewastransferredtoShataprisoninthenorthofIsrael,wherehewasallowedto meetwithhisbrotherAzzam(aprisonerservingalifesentence),forthefirsttimesince2006.Inaddition, hismotherandfourofhisbrothershavebeengivenpermissiontovisitbothoftheminJuly. c.Tha'erHalahlehendedhishungerstrikeafter77days.Hisadministrativeorderendedon6Juneandhe wasreleased.Hishealthisimprovingalthoughhehashadsomecomplicationsafterhisrelease,andwas admittedanddischargedfromahospitalintheWestBank. d.OmarAbuShalalendedhishungerstrikeafter70days.Hiscurrentadministrativedetentionorderisdue toexpireon30August2012andheshouldbereleasedonthatdateaccordingtotheagreement.Afterthe strikehewasexaminedbyanindependentdoctorfromPHRIsraelon6June2012,atthemedicalfacilityof theIPSinRamleh,afterwhichhewasreportedlymovedtoanotherunknownfacility.Generallyspeaking, hishealthhadimproved.

e.Ju'afarAzzedineendedhishungerstrikeafter55days.Hiscurrentadministrativedetentionorderisdue toexpireon20July2012,afterwhichheshouldbereleased,accordingtotheagreement.Hewasmovedto Eshelprisonaweekafterendinghishungerstrike. f.MahmoudSarsak,afootballplayerfromGaza,wasnotincludedintheoriginalagreementasheisbeing held under the Unlawful Combatants Law, applied to residents from the Gaza Strip. He continued his hunger strike until 18 June, during which he suffered weakness of the myocardium (heart muscle), intestinal disturbances, body pain, fainting spells, and could no longer walk or see, as witnessed by his lawyer,MohammadJabareen.His92dayhungerstrikeendedwithanagreementforhimtobereleasedon 10July2012. 4.Otherprisonersanddetaineesstillcurrentlyonhungerstrike: a.AkramRikhawiisnowonday76ofhishungerstrikeandfacesimminentthreattohislife.Aresidentof Gaza, Rikhawi is serving a 9year sentence since 7 June 2004. He is on hunger strike to request consideration of early release due to chronic medical problems includingasthma, diabetes, high blood pressure,atrophyoftheeyelenses,cataractsandosteoporosis.HewasheldintheIPSmedicalfacilityin Ramleheversincehisinitialarrest.Despitehiscondition,on14June2012theIsraeliDistrictCourtrejected anappealtotransferhimtoacivilianhospitalandhehasbeendeniedaccesstoanexternaldoctorsince6 June2012.On25June2012RikhawiwasfinallytransferredtoAssafHarofeh,acivilian hospitalinIsrael, following a deterioration in his condition. Under Israeli law every prisoner is entitled to ask to be consideredforanearlierreleasewhenhehasservedatleasttwothirdsofhissentence.Rikhawiwenton hunger strike on 12 April 2012 demanding that his medical condition and social circumstances be consideredduringthediscussionofhisrequest.Inalldiscussions,thesefactorsweredisregardedandafile withsecretinformationwastheonlymaterialconsidered. b.SamerAlBarqisonday37ofhisrenewedhungerstrike,whichhelaunchedwhenIsraelrenewedhis administrativedetentionorderon21May2012.AresidentoftheWestBankvillageofJayyus,34yearold AlBarq is married to Sageda, a Pakistani citizen. He was held without charge or trial by the Jordanian intelligence for four and a half years, and was then transferred to the Israeli secret police (GSS) on 7 November 2010, whereupon an administrative detention order was issued, and renewed several times since. AlBarqjoinedthePalestinianprisonersmasshungerstrikeon17April2012andfastedfor28days,along witharound2,000otherPalestinianprisoners,untiltheMayagreementwasreached. On21May2012,AlBarq'sadministrativedetentionorderwasrenewedforafurtherthreemonths,andhe resumedhishungerstriketoprotestthisrenewalinviolationofIsrael'scommitmentgiventothehunger strikeleaderstorenewadministrativedetentionordersonlyinextremelyexceptionalcircumstances. CurrentlyAlBarqisheldattheIPSmedicalfacilityinRamleh.Hisfamilyhasreportedthathesuffersfrom kidney problems and high blood pressure and has lost more than 20% of his original weight. On 21 June 2012, PHRIsrael submitted a request to allow independent physicians access to him. On the 25thofJunetheIPSdeniedPHRIsraelrequestwithoutstatinganyreasonstothedenial. BothAlBarqandRikhawiaredeniedfamilyvisitsandaccessofindependentdoctors. 5.Minorsonhungerstrike: Nine minors held in Hasharon prison engaged in a hunger strike for five days in midJune. The minors launched their hunger strike in protest against their incarceration without adult supervision, denial of education, overcrowding, substandard medical care and sanitation in the cells, denial of family visits,

holdingofminorsinsolitaryconfinementasapunitivemeasure,aswellasabuseandviolencefromprison staff.TheirhungerstrikeconcludeduponagreementfromtheHashronprisonauthoritiesthattheirbasic conditionswouldbeimproved.Itisasyetunclearifthisagreementhasbeenrespected. 6.Solitaryconfinement: EighteenPalestinianprisonershavebeentakenoutofsolitaryconfinementandintoregularcells.DirarAbu Sisi, who has also been held in longterm solitary confinement since before the agreement, has not yet beenremovedfromsolitaryconfinement,incontraventionoftheagreement.AbuSisiwasabductedbythe IsraeliMossadfromUkrainelastyear.Anadditionalprisonerwasalsogivena6monthsolitaryconfinement orderlastweek. Other Palestinian prisoners are still being held in prolonged solitary confinement, and the use of solitary confinement as a punitive measure is still ongoing. The IPS has claimed that the agreement does not include those prisoners held in solitary confinement ordered by the IPS authorities as a disciplinary measureorinordertomaintainprisonsecurityandorder. 7.FamilyvisitsfromtheWestBank: TherehasbeenapartialrenewalofvisitsforrelativesfromtheWestBankwhoseaccesstotheprisonswas previouslydenied.Asstatedabove,BilalDiab'sfamilyreceivedpermitstovisit,andprisonersAbdallahAl BarghouthiandAbbasAlSaidhavereceivedvisitsfromtheiryoungersons.Bothwerepreviouslyinsolitary confinementformanyyearsandweredeniedfamilyvisits.ItisnotyetclearwhatpercentageofWestBank prisoners'familieshavenownewlybeengrantedpermitsandhowmanyhavebeendeniedpermits. 8.FamilyvisitsfromtheGazaStrip FamilyvisitstoprisonersfromtheGazaStriphavebeendeniedsince2007.Accordingtotheagreement, visits should have been resumed within one month of the end of the hunger strike. There are informal reportsthatthevisitsareduetoberesumedinJuly.TheICRChasreportedthattheyareincontactwiththe IPSregardingrenewalofvisitsfromtheGazaStrip,butthereisnoofficialdateyet.TheIPSrespondedina letter to Adalah on 20 June 2012 that due to the large number of parties involved, including the Israel military,theAttorneyGeneral,theIsraeliPolice,andothersecurityforces,itisdifficulttoarrangepermits forfamilymemberstovisit. According to this letter, [e]ven before security prisoners began the hunger strike, we began to examine optionsforaccessforfamiliesfromGazatovisitprisonersheldinIsraelTakingintoconsiderationthatthe issueiscomplicated,wehopetosoonestablishasystemtocarryoutapilotprogramtoobtainpermitsfor accessfromGaza. 9.Punitivemeasuresagainstinmates: Violent raids by IPS special forces on prisoners sections continue despite the agreement. Families of prisoners have reported to PHRIsrael that some wings are suffering from collective punishment due to suspicionofholdingmobilephones.Punishmentsincludefines,denialofpermissiontobuyextrafoodand supplies,anddenialoffamilyvisits.Thelatterisabasicright,notaprivilege. 10.Restrictiononaccesstohighereducation: Despite the agreement, access to higher education has not been renewed and there is no discussion of intentiontorenewit.AdalahfiledamotiontotheIsraeliSupremeCourtinMarch2012forpermissionto appealtheNazarethDistrictCourtdecisiontorejectaprisonersrequesttocontinuehishighereducation intheOpenUniversityaftertwoyearsofstudyviacorrespondence.InJune2011,theIPShadsuddenlyand

arbitrarily decided to stop all Palestinian political prisoners from studying higher education courses. To date,therehasbeennoresponsefromthestate. 11.Accesstomedicalcare: The IPS continues to deny entry of independent doctors to hunger strikers and visits have been enabled onlythroughprolongedcourtprocesses.Transferofhungerstrikerstocivilianhospitalsisalsoprevented despiteaclearneedtoprovidespecialisedcarenotavailableintheIPSmedicalfacility.Moregenerally,the qualityofmedicalcareprovidedtoallinmatesisakeycomplaintofPalestinianprisonersandtheirfamilies. Noimprovementhasbeenrecordedand,sincetheannouncementbythecurrentChiefMedicalOfficerDini OrkinTischler that she is leaving her post shortly, requests for information and complaints regarding medicalcare(transmittedbyPHRIsrael)havegonelargelyunanswered. Following the hunger strike, female Palestinian prisoners held in Hasharon prison boycotted the prison clinicforoneweekinprotestatthelackofadequatemedicalcareandunreasonablewaitingperiods. 12.Recommendations: That the arbitrary and excessive use of administrative detention be discontinued and Palestinian detaineesbeensuredaccesstoafairlegalprocess; That the agreements reached on 14 and 15 May 2012 be respected, including the release of administrativedetaineeswhowerepromisedreleaseattheendoftheircurrentorders,renewalof familyvisitsandliftingofthepunitivemeasuresusedagainstPalestiniansinIsraelicustody; ThatAkramRikhawicontinuetobehospitalisedinacivilianhospitaladequatetohisneedsandthat his early release be considered based on his grave medical conditions; and that regular independentmedicalvisitsbeallowedtoallhungerstrikers; That the EU publicly and actively engage with Israel to end the arbitrary use of administrative detention, and condemn the punitive measures used to quell the efforts of the hunger strikers, whoareengagedinlegitimateprotest. That the EU implement and support an experts' factfinding mission to Israel and the Occupied PalestinianTerritoryonthesubjectofconditionsofPalestiniansincarceratedbyIsrael. This information was compiled by Physicians for Human RightsIsrael (PHRIsrael), Adalah The Legal CentreforArabMinorityRightsinIsraelandthePublicCommitteeAgainstTortureinIsrael(PCATI),based ontheirownworkandsources,aswellasoninformationfromAddameer(WestBank),AlHaq(WestBank) and Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights (Gaza), based on their ongoing work on behalf of Palestinian detaineesandprisoners. ForfurtherinformationorclarificationspleasecontactMiriWeingartenmiri.weingarten@gmail.com THISPROJECTISFUNDEDBYTHEEUROPEANUNION JOINTPROJECTOFADALAH,ALMEZAN(GAZA)ANDPHYSICIANSFORHUMANRIGHTSISRAEL ThecontentsofthispaperarethesoleresponsibilityofAdalah,AlMezan(Gaza),PhysiciansforHuman RightsIsraelandthePublicCommitteeAgainstTortureinIsrael(PCATI)andcaninnowaybetakento reflecttheviewsoftheEuropeanUnion