Feb 18 β€’ 19:55 UTC πŸ‡ΆπŸ‡¦ Qatar Al Jazeera

A released prisoner reveals sexual assaults and medical neglect inside occupation prisons

A released Palestinian prisoner details severe mistreatment, including sexual assaults and medical neglect, during his nearly two-year detention in Israeli prisons.

In a shocking testimony that highlights the dark realities of Israeli occupation prisons, former prisoner Muhammad Al-Bakri from Khan Younis described his harrowing experience of nearly twenty months in detention. He confirmed that the treatment he endured is something he will never forget, detailing a systemic pattern of humiliation, torture, and assaults on human dignity throughout his imprisonment. Al-Bakri recounted being moved between several detention facilities, where the prisoners' humanity was stripped away in both small and large ways.

In Sidi Taman prison, Al-Bakri recounted continuous torment, emphasizing that he was shackled for 24 hours a day with a blindfold on, only permitted to have his blindfold removed when summoned by an intelligence officer. He described the daily pressures faced by prisoners, including medical neglect, lack of hygiene, and restrictions on movement. Additionally, he noted that one of the most severe punishments imposed on him was the prohibition of religious practices, stating that he had to pray while sitting down and would even cover himself with a blanket to do so without getting into trouble.

Al-Bakri and other prisoners faced a particularly harrowing experience on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, which was marred by reports of sexual assault. This horrific behavior reveals not only the physical and psychological abuse that prisoners endure but also raises urgent questions about human rights violations within these detention centers. The implications are significant, calling for international scrutiny and action towards the treatment of Palestinian prisoners and the need for systemic reforms in light of such grave allegations.

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