Amnesty International said Palestinian hunger striker risks death

Amnesty International said Palestinian hunger striker risks death
By Agence France-Presse – 23 March, 2012 – The RawStory

Amnesty International on Friday urged Israeli authorities to release Palestinian prisoner Hanaa al-Shalabi who has been on hunger strike for more than a month, saying she was “at risk of death.”

The watchdog said Shalabi should be “immediately” released or charged “with a recognisable criminal offence” and “promptly” put on trial.

“The woman could die in detention after 37 days on hunger strike,” Amnesty said in a statement.

Shalabi has been on hunger strike since her arrest in the northern West Bank on February 16, when she was originally ordered detained without trial for six months.

She was among more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners released in October in a trade for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Gaza Strip-based militants for more than five years.

According to Amnesty, the 30-year-old “is allegedly affiliated with the Islamic Jihad movement but has never been charged with a criminal offence.”

Earlier this week she was moved to Meir Hospital in Israel.

“Hanaa al-Shalabi was transferred this evening to Israel’s Meir hospital after her state of health deteriorated,” Palestinian prisoner affairs minister Issa Qaraqaa told AFP on Monday.

And Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said an independent doctor had examined Shalabi on behalf of the group “and concluded that her health had deteriorated considerably and her life was at risk.”

A PHR doctor noted “a weakening of musculature, weight loss of 14 kilos (31 pounds), a very feeble pulse and a fall in blood sodium levels,” it said. …more