Comments on: Prisoner on hunger strike faints in court; judges delay ruling

By: Beware of my hunger | Bethlehem Blogger

Beware of my hunger | Bethlehem Blogger — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:49:14 +0000

[...] Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are on hunger strike. Just over a week ago, one of them collapsed during his court hearing after going for sixty-six days without food. He is Bilal Diab, and today [...]

By: Sherri Munnerlyn

Sherri Munnerlyn — Sun, 06 May 2012 02:40:09 +0000

Amnesty Intl has issued a call for urgent action, regarding 6 prisoners in imminent threat of death. Here is a letter I am sending to every member of The Knesset, by email, in regard to the prisoners and Amnesty’s call for action. We have two prisoners held in unlawful administrative detentions entering Day 69 of their hunger strike.

http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/take-action-now-amnesty-issues-urgent-alert-palestine-hunger-strikers-who-are

Nissim Zeev
Shas

nzeev@knesset.gov.il

Dear Nissim Zeev,

I am forarding you an email I sent to PM Netanyahu this morning, and I want to try to ensure all members of the Knesset know about these Palestinian prisoners under threat of imminent death. I know you do not want their deaths on your conscience. Thank you for considering their plight and anything you can do to help improve the situation.

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

I am very concerned about the safety and welfare of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under administrative detentions who are on hunger strikes, in particular six prisoners who have been identified by Amnesty International as facing imminent death, Bilal Diab and Tha’er Halahleh, who are today on Day 68 of their hunger strikes, Hassan Safadi, Omar Abu Shalal, Ja’afar Izz al-Din, and Mahmoud al-Sarsak.

These administrative detentions Israel is holding Palestinian prisoners under, that include the six prisoners named above, violate international treaties Israel is bound to which internationally recognize rights to a fair trial for detainees and prisoners, to include the Fourth Geneva Convention and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Evidence heard in secret, which provides neither the defendant nor his attorney being allowed to examine the evidence or challenge it, violates the requirements of international law that mandate fair legal proceedings and due process in detentions of prisoners. These detentions are war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

I urge you to ensure Israel abides by her obligations under international law and call on the Israeli authorities to release these six detainees in imminent danger of death, as well as all other Palestinians in administrative detention, unless they are promptly charged with internationally recognizable criminal offenses and brought to trial in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards.

I urge you to ensure the immediate transfer of Tha’er Halahleh and other detainees on prolonged hunger strikes to a fully-equipped hospital so they can receive specialized medical care.

I urge you to ensure that all detainees on hunger strike are allowed regular, private access to independent doctors, families and lawyers, treated humanely, and not punished in any way for their hunger strike.

I urge you to end the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of administrative detainees, such as shackling detainees on prolonged hunger strike, that the human rights organizations and NGO’s are reporting Israel is engaging in.

I urge you to ensure Israel abides by her obligations under international law and deals humanely with Palestinian prisoners she holds captive and in detention.

Sincerely,

Sherri Munnerlyn

By: Greg Pollock

Greg Pollock — Sat, 05 May 2012 05:05:01 +0000

left out a few words in the above. Tired today. Sorry.

By: Greg Pollock

Greg Pollock — Sat, 05 May 2012 05:03:15 +0000

The Israeli courts, more or less, have a oommon law from the prior jurisditions they inherited. So they have contempt power and, I think, Habeus Corpus–”present the body,” which removes said body from the authority holding it until the court decides.
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The Court will not begin to at purely for humanitarian or human rights, but to butress its own authority. The indignity will be the prison guard’s action. At some point, the Court will refuse the explaining phone call.
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I think the Court’s constitutional stand may about to begin (I, of course, weasel with “may”); but, if not now, these indignities to law will just accelerate. There will be a point of no more. And it may well begin through the defined “outsider,” acting for her/his own world. This is how human rights are articulated and imported.
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It’s not going to get cheery–but I think there is hope now.
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And a man may die.

By: Dena Shunra

Dena Shunra — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:13:35 +0000

Israeli law certainly does have contempt of court, in a concept that is basically a literal translation of the phrase into Hebrew.

By: Piotr Berman

Piotr Berman — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:58:57 +0000

Apparently, “contempt of the court” is a concept from Anglo-Saxon common law. However, disobeying direct orders of the court would be shocking in more civilized countries. American judge could order court marshals to arrest prison guards on the spot, or to fine them.

Callousness of the judges is more of an international norm.

By: aristeides

aristeides — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:34:08 +0000

Does Israel not have the charge of contempt of court? Because the entire state seems to hold its courts in contempt.

By: Dena Shunra

Dena Shunra — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:12:12 +0000

The prison service conduct looks awfully close to mutiny.