Situation in the OPT – Letter from Oman

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES

AFFECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE POPULATION

OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Letter dated 8 October 1986 from the Permanent Representative of

Oman to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

In my capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of October 1986, I am pleased to transmit herewith a letter addressed to you from Mr. Zehdi Labib Terzi, Permanent Observer for the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations (see annex), and to request you to circulate this letter and its annex as a document of the General Assembly under agenda item 71.

(Signed)  Saoud Bin Salim AL-ANSI

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

ANNEX

Letter dated 6 October 1986 from the Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I am instructed by Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to bring the following to your immediate attention.  At the beginning of October, Palestinian political prisoners in Kfar Yona prison (Beit Lydd) went on hunger-strike in protest against the brutal and inhuman practices and conditions to which they are routinely subjected by the occupying Power, Israel. These practices and conditions include daily beatings, physical and verbal abuse, the spraying of cells with tear gas and the atrociously unhealthy and inhuman conditions", in which the prisoners are forced to live.

Three weeks ago the Israeli occupation authorities refused to respond to a list of requests by detainees, which included the improvement in health and hygienic conditions and medical treatment, since the intentional neglect of health conditions within the prison by the occupation authorities has caused the spread of various contagious skin diseases which now poses a serious health hazard to other detainees.

Additionally, they have requested a decrease in cell occupancy and the removal of the sheet iron from doors and windows to allow the circulation of air within the cell because the cells had become infernos in summer resulting in an almost epidemic health situation in the prison. They also requested the removal of metal nets in the visiting areas, and access to newspapers and hooks.

Palestinian political prisoners in Hebron have continued on their hunger-strike which started 10 days ago. They are refusing all visits until the Israeli occupation authorities grant them their requests.

On 20 September, Palestinian political prisoners in Ramallah prison went on a full day hunger-strike to protest the serving of spoiled food. Twenty prisoners had contracted severe food poisoning as a result of having eaten the spoiled food that had been served by the prison authorities.

Palestinian political prisoners in Al-Fara'a prison (Nablus) had been on hunger-strike as of 11 September to protest the inhuman conditions to which they have also been subjected. Among their demands were better meals, hot water, access to books and newspapers and an end to the humiliating treatment their families were suhjected to during visits to the prison. Additionally, they requested that visiting families, many of which included little children, should have access to public toilets and water during their long waiting period.

Chairman Arafat calls upon your good offices to take whatever action you deem appropriate to end this abominable and inhuman campaign against Palestinian political prisoners being held by the occupying power, Israel.

(Signed)  Zehdi Labib TERZI

Permanent Observer

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