Gaza – Ma’an – The Addameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza condemned the occupation’s decision to cancel the visit of the Addameer lawyer to Nafha prison in a manner that violates the principles of international humanitarian law and the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which stipulate the protection of detainees, conducting continuous visits to them, and communicating with the outside world.
Addameer said in a statement received by Ma’an: “The association’s lawyer submitted a request on August 11 to visit Nafha prison, and the date was set for September 15, 2024 to visit the prison. However, on September 8, 2024, the lawyer was informed that the visit was cancelled due to the quarantine of detainees infected with the spread of the contagious skin disease scabies among detainees.”
She added, “According to the testimonies obtained by the association, the spread and prevalence of diseases in most Israeli prisons has become due to the lack of cleaning materials, the lack of regular showers, and the failu
re to bring in clothes, especially underwear.”
She continued, “Doctors for Human Rights confirmed that the spread of diseases in prisons does not prevent them from being visited and reassured, and that preventing lawyers from human rights organizations from visiting Nafha prison under the pretext of the spread of infectious diseases leads to tragic conditions inside the prison and the use of all methods of torture and inhuman and cruel treatment.
She stressed that the detainee has the right to contact the outside world and the right to be visited by lawyers.
She called on the international community and the high-ranking parties to the Four Geneva Conventions to pressure the occupation to oblige it to abide by the principles of international law and protect detainees.
She also called on the Committee against Torture to take all necessary measures to protect detainees inside the occupation prisons, calling on the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health to intervene immediately and urgently and to follow u
p on the conditions of detainees inside Nafha prison to preserve their lives.
Source: Maan News Agency