Al Mezan Condemns Israel’s Continuing Violations against Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees; Death of Fadi Al Derbi in Israeli Detention Must Be Investigated

On Wednesday, 14 October 2015, the Soroka Medical Center in Israel announced the death of Palestinian detainee Fadi Ali Al Derbi, 30. Al Derbi was from Jenin in the North of the West Bank. At the time of his death, Al Derbi was in the intensive care unit at Soroka after his health condition deteriorated critically. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the negligent treatment by Israeli authorities that amount to violations of the human rights of Palestinian detainees and prisoners. Al Mezan recognizes the need for a thorough investigation - to international standards - to review the circumstances behind the death of Al Derbi during his detention.  

Al Derbi was arrested on 16 March 2006 and he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. Al Derbi spent nine years in the Rimon prison. During his time in prison, a severe bleeding developed in his brain and he was referred to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva. According to the information available to Al Mezan, Al Derbi had no serious diseases before this bleeding. According to Al Derbi’s family, three years ago and when he was being held in solitary confinement, he suffered from an infection in his navel, with an offensive odor.

Al Derbi did not receive appropriate medical tests except after the severe bleeding in his brain was discovered. The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) did not allow his family to visit him except after he was referred to the hospital and after coordinating with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Al Derbi is not the first victim of medical negligence in Israeli prisons and detention centers. There have been tens of detainees held in Israeli prisons who died during their detention, including Maysara Abu Hamdiya; Hasan Al Turabi, Ashraf Abu Zreea’ and Zuhair Lubada, among others.  Additionally, tens of ex-detainees have died shortly after their release, where evidence has shown that the deterioration of their health was due to inappropriate health care that they had received in the prisons.  

The Palestinian human rights organizations that work on the issue of  Palestinian detainees noted that more than 1,000 Palestinian detainees have been recorded as having various types of diseases. The IPS stated recently that 25 Palestinian detainees currently have cancer.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns Israel’s continued policy of medical negligence and expresses its deep concern for the life and wellbeing of the patient detainees held in Israeli prisons. Al Mezan asserts that the silence of the international community has encouraged Israeli violations of international law.

Al Mezan calls on civil society groups, national and international human rights organizations, political parties and governments to expose Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law in support of upholding international principles.

Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s abuses of Palestinian detainees, including detention without trial; such as the cases of detention under the Unlawful Combatants Law, sweeping use of administrative detention, to numerous procedures that violate basic rights and dignities, including solitary confinement, medical negligence, and barring of family visitations. Al Mezan cites in particular the 1955 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, as well as the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment adopted in 1988, and articles 91 and 92 of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Times of War, in reference to the treatment of Al Derbi as a reflection of the practices used against Palestinian detainees and prisoners.

Al Mezan calls on the UN and the international community to promptly intervene and to exert pressure on Israel to end its violations against Palestinian prisoners and to ensure respect of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in its dealing with Palestinian prisoners.   

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