Alarm sounds over health of hunger-striking Palestinian journalist
Alarm sounds over health of hunger-striking Palestinian journalist
An imprisoned Palestinian journalist on hunger strike could soon become the first prisoner in Israel to be force-fed by authorities, as rights groups express fears over his deteriorating health.
2 min read
Many have been demanding the release of Mohammad al-Qiq [Getty]
A press freedom advocacy group has sounded the alarm over the health of a Palestinian journalist on hunger strike, in protest of his imprisonment without trial by Israeli security forces.
The International Federation of Journalists [IFJ] and its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists' syndicate [PJS], said on Thursday that they were "deeply concerned" about journalist Mohammad al-Qiq, 33, who has been on hunger strike for over 50 days.
The reporter for Saudi TV Network al-Majd was arrested without charge on 21 November 2015 at his home in the West Bank city of Ramallah and was brutally interrogated and tortured by Israeli police forces, according to the PJS.
"We call on human rights groups and the Palestinian presidency to pressure Israel to end Mohammad's suffering and let him go. We are scared for his life," Qiq's brother Hammam told The New Arab last week.
Since mid-December, Qiq has been placed under administrative detention, which allows imprisonment without trial for six-month periods renewable indefinitely.
Out of protest Qiq started a hunger strike on 25 November and was then moved to solitary confinement in Majjedo prison in northern Palestine.
Qiq was moved to the hospital wing of Ramle prison, central Israel, due to his failing health.
His wife said that he is vomiting blood and has lost 25 kilogrammes.
She presumes that if he loses consciousness his doctors will feed him intravenously.
A controversial Israeli law passed in July allows authorities to force-feed prisoners under certain circumstances, which could apply to Qiq's case.
Issa Qaraqe, the Palestinian Authority head of prisoners' affairs told The New Arab that it was "likely" that Israel will start force-feeding Qiq, making him the first prisoner undergo the practice since it was legalised by Israel's parliament.
In August of last year, Israel made moves to force-feed Mohammad Allan, who nearly died after his two-month hunger strike in protest of his detention without charge or trial. But doctors said they would refuse to carry out the controversial procedure on Allan.
This is the second time Qiq has been behind Israeli bars.
In 2008, he was jailed for 16 months for student activism which Israel says was linked to Hamas.
Israel is holding approximately 6,800 Palestinian political prisoners, according to the rights group Addameer.
The International Federation of Journalists [IFJ] and its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists' syndicate [PJS], said on Thursday that they were "deeply concerned" about journalist Mohammad al-Qiq, 33, who has been on hunger strike for over 50 days.
The reporter for Saudi TV Network al-Majd was arrested without charge on 21 November 2015 at his home in the West Bank city of Ramallah and was brutally interrogated and tortured by Israeli police forces, according to the PJS.
"We call on human rights groups and the Palestinian presidency to pressure Israel to end Mohammad's suffering and let him go. We are scared for his life," Qiq's brother Hammam told The New Arab last week.
Since mid-December, Qiq has been placed under administrative detention, which allows imprisonment without trial for six-month periods renewable indefinitely.
Out of protest Qiq started a hunger strike on 25 November and was then moved to solitary confinement in Majjedo prison in northern Palestine.
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| ِAn online campaign has called for Qiq's release [Twitter] |
His wife said that he is vomiting blood and has lost 25 kilogrammes.
She presumes that if he loses consciousness his doctors will feed him intravenously.
A controversial Israeli law passed in July allows authorities to force-feed prisoners under certain circumstances, which could apply to Qiq's case.
Issa Qaraqe, the Palestinian Authority head of prisoners' affairs told The New Arab that it was "likely" that Israel will start force-feeding Qiq, making him the first prisoner undergo the practice since it was legalised by Israel's parliament.
In August of last year, Israel made moves to force-feed Mohammad Allan, who nearly died after his two-month hunger strike in protest of his detention without charge or trial. But doctors said they would refuse to carry out the controversial procedure on Allan.
This is the second time Qiq has been behind Israeli bars.
In 2008, he was jailed for 16 months for student activism which Israel says was linked to Hamas.
Israel is holding approximately 6,800 Palestinian political prisoners, according to the rights group Addameer.
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