Jamal Abu Haija - Prison Conditions, Hunger-Strike Intention

Jamal Abu Haija - Condition in the prisons and intention to begin an open-ended hunger strike

Prisoner Jamal Abu Haija sent a message sent through his lawyer over two weeks before the Battle of the Empty Stomachs began, outlining the conditions they were being subjected to, and their intention to begin an open-ended hunger strike.

29 March 2012

In The Name of Allah the Most merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Dear Om Abed (mother), daughters and sons, thank you so much for your messages. I am writing to you to tell you what is happening in the prison. The prison management is very worried about what is going on. They fear the situation, and seek to subvert it. The prisoners reject that absolutely. Today soldiers came to the prison and asked me "How is the situation?" “This is the worst situation, and the attacks on the prisoners and on our dignity will not pass," I answered. The soldiers demanded I go to court, but I refused. I said that the courts exist to hide your crimes and do not treat any Arab fairly.

I still refuse to enter the clinic in which the soldiers attacked us. This is not a clinic because it has lost its humanitarian mission and become a slaughterhouse for criminals. I’ll tell you what happened a week ago - an officer told me to go with him to the clinic and I asked him why, he answered to get a DNA sample. I did not want to go there, and I did not request the procedure. The authorities decided to forcibly take DNA from prisoners. I will not be subjected to the procedure even if all the Israeli police come. On the day of that incident, the head of the department came in the evening and told me to get dressed in prison clothes saying that I had an interview. However, he was lying to me. After I dressed he said I would have the DNA sample taken, and I took my clothes off and sat down. I refused to wear the prison clothes and to leave as there were a number of police with the head of department. After a few minutes, he came back with even more police.

They opened the door and took brother Wajeeh Abu Khaleel from one cell to another in the prison. Then they shackled my hands, and forced me to go to the clinic while I swore and spat at them. We arrived at the clinic, a policewoman asked me my name. I said I do not know and do not want to give a DNA sample. A great number of security officers were in the clinic, and forced me to enter, beating me on the legs, jaw, abdomen and back. There were more than twenty policemen who forced me to lay on a table. The police held part of my body in the air while other parts were on the ground. Some of the policemen beat me using their elbows and the knees , and the others pressed on my legs and on my fingers. The policemen beat my face, trying to force my mouth open to take a sample for analysis. They put me in a room for half an hour, and I got tired, then the police took me back to my room.

Thanks to Allah everything is going very well. I feel better, and your messages strengthen my determination.

I hope all your messages that you sent to me follow the events inside and outside the prisons. In my conversation with the prison services, I told them things will not be over within two weeks, and we want all of the rights of prisoners regarding solitary confinement and especially family visits. In addition, we want clear and decisive answers from senior management and decision- makers. Otherwise, we will engage in an open hunger strike within two weeks.

I hope that you inform the brothers in solitary confinement about the last statement as soon as you possibly can. We will start a hunger strike from today until 15th April at a maximum level until they end solitary confinement and give the isolated prisoners all their rights, and the right to visits.

I extend my peace to all the brothers and dear ones, especially the Minister of Detainees and Refugees' Affairs in Gaza Atallah Abu Sebah, and please tell him about the content of the action we intend to take within two weeks.

Prisoner Jamal Abu Hiaja, Abu Abed Esalam.

Translation: Ibraheem Ghunaim.

ENDS

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