Common Dreams staff , January 31, 2012
A Palestinian prisoner held in Israel has reached his 46th day on hunger strike. Adnan Khader, 34, is protesting his detention of which he is being held without trial or charge. Israeli officials are calling it 'administrative detention'. Khader, the head of the Islamic Jihad Movement in the West Bank, was arrested on December 17 and began his hunger strike upon imprisonment.
After many days without food, rights group, Physicians for Human Rights, is now saying that his life is in danger.
Today, Khader began to refuse water after he was denied access to his lawyer.
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Agence France-Presse reports:
"His health is deteriorating and his life will be in danger if he continues the hunger strike," [Physicians for Human Rights] said in a statement after its doctors examined him.
The Palestinian prisoners' club, which monitors inmates' wellbeing, said that Adnan was taken by ambulance on Monday from Israel's Ramla prison to a military court, where a hearing on his case was postponed until February 1.
Israel Prison Service spokeswoman Sivan Weizman told AFP that Adnan's condition was being closely monitored by prison doctors.
"If necessary he will be taken to a hospital for further treatment," she said. "All the effects of hunger-striking have been explained to him... We shall consider forced feeding if it becomes necessary."
Israeli prison authorities had described his condition as satisfactory.
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The International Middle East Media Center reports:
The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported Tuesday that the Israeli Prison Administration (IPA) informed Khader’s lawyer that he had decided to stop drinking liquids after he was prevented from meeting her.
The lawyer stated that the situation of Khader is gradually and dangerously deteriorating, and that the IPA informed her that it will be obliged to administer liquids even if he refuses.
Prison Physicians stated that, should Khader refrain from drinking any liquids, his body will likely collapse within three days, therefore, they have decided to administer liquids.
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Electronic Intifada adds:
On Monday, the Israeli military court extended Adnan’s “administrative” detention and said it would hear his case on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Detainees in Gaza, Atallah Abu-Sabh called on Egypt, the Red Crescent and international human rights organizations to intervene urgently to save the life of Adnan, whom, he noted, has not been charged with any crime.
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