‘Witness’ Condemns Force-feeding
of Detained Journalist Al-Qeeq,
Holds Israel
Responsible for his Life
Palestinian
Detainees Committee’sLawyer HebaMasalha revealed on 10/1/2016 that the Israeli Medical
Committee has decided to force-feed hunger striking detained journalist Mohamad
al-Qeeq. Al-Qeeq, unable to walk or move, was handcuffed and force-fed via
intravenous infusion. Lawyer Masalha revealed in press statements that physicians
at Afula Hospital said that al-Qeeq’s health has deteriorated and was in
critical condition as his kidney and liver could be affected and he might
suffer brain hemorrhage.
Al-Qeeq
is from the West Bank village of Dura and works as reporter for al-Majd Saudi
news channel. He was detained on 21/11/2015 by Israeli Occupation Forces who
broke into his house at dawn, searched it and confiscated computers and mobile
phones. On 24/11/2015, Al-Qeeq announced a hunger strike in protest against administrative
detention and he declared in media statements that his detention was illegal
and arbitrary. He considered his hunger strike as a response to his torture and
humiliation during interrogation atJalamedetention center where he was threatened
with rape and deprivation of his children, and was exposed to strip searching, sleep
deprivation, shabeh and other forms of abuse.
The
Palestinian Association forHuman Rights (Witness) reiterates that the issue of
al-Qeeqisa just, humanitarian issue and holds the Israeli occupation fully
responsible for the life of al-Qeeq who is member of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate
and the International Federation of Journalists. Witness also:
1. Stresses that force-feeding
for hunger strikers does not respect the will of the prisoner or his legitimate
needs and it confiscates the right of prisoners to protest against their
arbitrary detention and harsh conditions. It is also a death sentence to the
freedom of press in the occupied Palestinian territories.
2. Emphasizes that force-feeding
is a method of torture and an infringement on the dignity of prisoners.
3. Calls on international
human rights organizations to expose the crimes of the Israeli occupation in
international fora and work to internationalize the issue of prisoners.
4. Calls on the
Palestinian Authority to take the issue of prisoners and their suffering to the
InternationalCriminal Court.
5. Calls on concerned
international organizations, especially Reporters without Borders and the
International Federation of Journalists, to interfere urgently to save the life
of journalist al-Qeeq.
Beirut, 11/1/2016