Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike for 38 days

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society reported on Tuesday that the body of the prisoner of Youssef Abdul-Rahim Sakafi, who is 42 years of age, and is currently detained in Ramallah prison in Israel, has begun to deteriorate. According to the latest medical tests conducted by his prison doctor, the continuation of his hunger strike and his refusal to take medication has become a real threat to his life. The association said in a statement received by "ArabsToday" that prisoner Sakafi has been on hunger strike for 38 days. He was transferred from Ashkelon prison to Ramallah prison hospital, four days ago because of his deteriorating health. One of the Society’s lawyers described that prisoner Sakafi was "brought to the visiting room in a wheelchair, his hands and feet shackled in a chilling way. He cannot talk, and is completely exhausted." Sakafi began an open-ended hunger and medication strike on the 12th of last month, due to the policy of medical neglect, and the repressive measures carried out in his prison. He was transferred arbitrarily from Beersheba prison to Ashkelon prison, where no health care was provided. Sakafi was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment four times, and his daughter, Abir, died two months ago because of her exposure to trauma as she flew to visit him in prison. He has a brother named Alaa who has also been sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. He too has had sanctions imposed on him, because his brother continues to strike. The director of the Prisoners' Society in Hebron, Amjad Al-Najar, considers Youssef Sakafi treatment to be, "an execution of the knowledge of prison management", criticizing the failure to respond to humanitarian demands, and to move him from Ashkelon prison to another prison where there are appropriate health conditions and medical standards. He has demanded that the International Red Cross should intervene immediately in order to save his life.