The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses concern over the circumstances surrounding the death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat; with serious concern that Jaradat was tortured before his death.
In the evening hours of Saturday 23 February 2013, detainee Arafat Jaradat, 30, died while he was in Majeddo prison.
According to information available to Al Mezan, on 18 February 2013, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Jaradat at his home and took him to an Israeli interrogation center.
He was reportedly interrogated for several hours and then transferred to Majeddo prison where he was interrogated again.
According to the initial information published by the Israeli Prison Administration (IPA), Jaradat died of a heart attack.
The IPA did not give details.
Jaradat’s family maintain that Jaradat, having been in long standing good health, died due to torture during the interrogations.
Today, approximately 3,000 Palestinian detainees started a mass hunger strike in protest of the death of Jaradat and against the practice of administrative detention.
There are currently approximately 178 Palestinians detained under administrative detention without charge or trial.
According to Al Mezan’s information, which is based on individual interviews with 300 ex-detainees who were released in the prisoner swap on 18 October 2011, Palestinian detainees are subject to different forms of physical and psychological torture during their detentions.
The ex-detainees added that they are also subject to medical negligence and malnutrition.
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights questions Israeli authorities as to the responsibility of Jaradat’s death, and expresses deep concern at the alleged torture of Jaradat during interrogation.
Al Mezan asserts that torture, which is reportedly practiced widely in Israeli prisons, is considered a war crime and its perpetrators must be brought to justice.
Al Mezan expresses its concern for the lives of Palestinian detainees on hunger strike and reiterates its strong condemnation of Israeli flagrant violations in regards to the detention of Palestinian detainees, including the Unlawful Combatant Law, administrative detention, and other procedures that violate human rights standards, including solitary confinement, medical negligence, and barring of family visitation.
Al Mezan calls on the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions, to work towards ensuring an immediate, independent investigation into the death of Jaradat including ensuring international and Palestinian presence at the autopsy.
Al Mezan also calls on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to respect its obligations under International Law and uphold the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners of 1955 and relating principles.