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Poor prison conditions: The public defender's report published this morning (Tuesday) reveals a worrying picture of the conditions in which the prisoners are held in the prisons since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
In accordance with the High Court ruling on the matter, the Shavas must ensure a minimum living space between 4-4.5 square meters which includes sleeping on a bed and a mattress for each prisoner.
It was determined that the implementation of the ruling will take place in two phases and in a gradual manner by reducing the number of prisoners and opening additional prison wings.
However, the war and the subsequent wave of arrests boosted the number of prisoners from 16,000 to over 20,000.
As a result, the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, declared a state of prison emergency and accordingly an instruction was given that allows the Shin Bet to exceed the restrictions imposed on the organization. The overcrowding in the cells is only increasing and "the conditions seriously harm human dignity and the human image" - so the report states .
"Even when it comes to those who have been convicted of serious crimes, the right of the detainee and prisoner to sleep on a bed - is at the core of the basic rights to exist in minimal conditions, given to a person as part of the protection of his dignity. Moreover, according to international law, holding a prisoner in an area of 3 square meters or less It amounts to cruel, inhuman and humiliating punishment."
declared a prison emergency.
Minister Ben Gabir/Official website, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense
The findings on the conditions of both the criminal and the security prisoners in the prisons in Israel were revealed during comprehensive visits by the representatives of the defense to the prisons throughout the country in the recent period.
The report shows that wing 1 of the northern Carmel prison housed about 88 prisoners, 10 more over the allowed occupancy.
In one of the cells, 13 prisoners were put in, including beds in the center of the room, with each being given a living space of 2.42 square meters.
The result: a lot of pressure inside the prison, increasing friction between the prisoners and queues for the toilets.
The adults among them find it difficult to hold back and wait their turn in the toilet cubicle.
In addition, the prisoners spent the night because of the cold prevailing in the cells.
The report also shows that in Damon Prison, inmates are mauled with mattresses on the floor. In Eshel Prison, in Wing 5, which houses protection inmates, a bad smell pervades from squatting toilets and rats enter the cells through the sewers. In Wing 6 - the security one - a prisoner said that all his personal equipment was taken from him, including photos of His family members, cooking utensils and food, and in fact was left with only his clothes.
The prisoner stated that they receive a vegetable quota of six items, but since the cooking utensils were taken there is no way to cook them. Another security prisoner said that he was left with one shirt, and later complained that his glasses were broken and he was left with no alternative.
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In one of the cells, 13 prisoners/SHBS barracks were put
In the Russian compound, a detention facility in Jerusalem, about 170 detainees are routinely held.
However, at the outbreak of the war it was populated by approximately 230 detainees.
The conditions there were not good for them because the detainees' beds were without mattresses and they were forced to eat meals in the dark, without electricity.
The findings show that there are detainees who were left in their cells after the exit to the yard was canceled due to the outbreak of the war.
As a result, detainees did not see the light of day for the entire days of their detention and some complained that they did not change clothes.
Several of the Jewish security detainees imprisoned in the facility complained that their mattresses were taken from them hours before the visit, and the detention center management clarified that there are different instructions regarding Jewish security detainees compared to Arab security detainees and explained: "The instructions given to the different populations of the security prisoners are a direct derivative of the nature of the risks and dangers they seek to prevent , the existing and mandatory distinction between populations with different risk characteristics of security prisoners".
Eshel prison near Be'er Sheva, February 2017/Liron Moldovan
The public defender's office recommends the addition of prison places, the rapid promotion of plans for the construction of prison facilities, the reduction of the number of detainees and judges behind bars, among other things, through the release of detainees to detention under electronic supervision, the release on bail of suspects arrested for investigation purposes and the expansion of the administrative mechanism.
The advocates also recommend the formulation of an up-to-date construction plan for the detention facilities where Shin Bet detainees are held in view of the wave of arrests since the outbreak of the war of Hamas terrorists and their aides and wrote: "In summary, the picture that emerges of the detention facilities visited by the advocates' representatives is bleak: intolerable overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions, Poor hygiene and pest problem, inadequate ventilation conditions, lack of basic equipment for prisoners and more.
In general, the defense representatives were impressed that the increase in overcrowding in prison facilities has significant implications and consequences, not only from the point of view of the incarcerated, but also from the point of view of the Israel Defense Forces - greater overcrowding in a situation where even so the incarcerated are under pressure and anxiety may lead to unnecessary friction between the incarcerated and themselves and between them and the faculty, and harm achievements therapeutic and rehabilitative that were achieved with great effort.
A new criminal wing in Gilboa Prison/Dobrot Shavas
Alongside the severe overcrowding prevailing in the prison facilities, it will be mentioned that during the emergency there were many changes that resulted in another severe violation of the rights of the prisoners, their situation worsened even more and increased their plight.
Recently, they began to gradually return to routine in the criminal divisions - preventing visits and vacations, reducing education, treatment and rehabilitation activities, reducing ventilation hours outside the cells - to the point of locking them in a cell 23 hours a day - as well as reducing access to the telephone.
It will also be mentioned that for many weeks release committees were canceled for prisoners whose early release is pending.
In addition, the hearings on the petitions of prisoners were canceled, all the criminal hearings were canceled with the exception of detention hearings which were held not in the presence of the detainees but in visual consultation and in many cases only by phone and more.
The Shin Bet reported: "With the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" war, the prison service is operating under a prison emergency, taking in thousands of security and criminal prisoners.
With the arrival of the Acting Commissioner of Prisons, Gonder Kobi Yacovi on 01/24/24, he asked to receive the prison monument and instructed to carry out immediate actions, including the promotion of plan 888 for adding prison places, continuing the planning of the prison monument, taking into account the decisions of the High Court of Justice, and maintaining The staff's safety and security."
More on the same topic:
War of Iron Swords
Israel Prison Service