The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs has revealed a new escalation in the punitive measures adopted by the administration of Israel's "Ofer" prison against Palestinian prisoners, coinciding with the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement released this Sunday, the Commission explained that the occupation authorities have begun imposing restrictions aimed directly at hindering the practice of religious rituals within the detention center. This reflects a systematic policy to increase psychological and physical pressure on those behind bars during these blessed days.
Strategic Deprivation
The most prominent violations include the prison administration's intentional refusal to inform prisoners of the timings for the Fajr (dawn) and Maghrib (sunset) calls to prayer. Consequently, prisoners are deprived of knowing the correct Sharia-mandated times to begin their fast or break it (Iftar).
This practice disrupts the prisoners' daily schedules, making it extremely difficult to organize meals or perform prayers on time. The Commission described this as a "flagrant assault" on the most basic rights guaranteed under international law.
Psychological Torture
The Commission emphasized that this move is part of a long series of collective punishments intended to isolate prisoners from their spiritual and temporal surroundings. Withholding prayer timings is not merely an administrative procedure; rather, it is a form of moral and psychological torture designed to strip prisoners of the spiritual connection associated with the holy month, thereby doubling their daily suffering.
In a related context, reports indicate that the already harsh living conditions in Ofer prison have worsened with these new measures that directly impede freedom of worship, in violation of international norms and conventions.
Urgent International Appeal
The Commission stated that the international community's silence encourages the occupation authorities to innovate new methods of abuse. It warned of the health and psychological repercussions that may affect prisoners due to irregular meal times in an environment lacking basic humanitarian standards.
The Commission called upon all international and human rights organizations, led by the Red Cross, to intervene immediately to put an end to these violations. It stressed the necessity of compelling the prison administration to respect the religious rituals of detainees and to stop using religion as a tool for punishment and pressure.
— Petra
