Mr. Head of the Committee
Respectable members of the Committee
Ladies and gentlemen

The situation of Syrian prisoners in Israeli prisons

The Arab prisoners, including Syrians, are subject to ill-treatment by the prison authorities in Israeli prisons. As well, they are victims of intentional medical negligence, as a punitive measure.  There are currently ten prisoners from occupied Syrian Golan in Israeli prisons, four of them were arrested in 1985, and they are spending sentences of 27 years period. In mid 2005 the arrested Hayel Houssein Abu Zaid was released, after his release he was diagnosed to have Leukemia, and months later he passed away. It is worth noting that Hayel was arrested in 1986, when he was a juvenile, under 18 years old, and he was sentenced for 27 years.

During 2007, the arrested Bishr Suliman Mukan, who was arrested since 1985, and is spending a 27 years sentence, had heart attacks and three catheters. Yet, Israeli authorities did not respond to all calls and appeals requesting his release for his health condition.

During last month the heath conditions of Sitan Nimer Al- Wali deteriorated, and therefore he was operated to eradicate a tumor in his kidney. According to the information which Dr. Wajdi Al-Safadi, who was following up the health condition of Sitan, provided to us, Sitan was operated on 12 May 2008 in order to eradicate a tumor of 12 cm size in his right kidney. Dr. Al-Safadi mentioned that the tumor was diagnosed at the visit which he paid to Al-Nafha prison in the desert on 30 July 2007. After checking on Sitan, Dr. al-Safadi, found that there is a mass in the right side of the abdomen, and therefore he recommended an immediate an ultra sound for Sitan’s right side. Seven months later, on 2/3/2008, the ultra sound was done to Sitan’s right side, at Jalbou’ arrest, which is located to the east of Afulah city. After that the ultra sound showed the presence of a tumor in the right kidney, Sitan had a CT scan on 6/3/2008, which confirmed the existence of a tumor in the right kidney. This evoked the eradication of the right kidney on 12/5/2008. The result of the medical tests proved that the tumor is malignant and in its advanced stages.

Sitan Al-Wali is a resident of occupied Syrian Golan, born in 1965, and he was arrested in Israeli prisons since 1985. In light of the critical health condition which Sitan lives inside the arrest, his lawyer petitioned to Israeli occupation authorities, in request of his immediate release, and this in the frame of current efforts to enforce the opportunities to save his life. But the Israeli authorities did not respond to this petition until now and continues to delay the response. It is noted that Sitan is currently arrested in Jalbou’ prison, and his heath condition is in continuous deterioration especially that he is not receiving any treatment inside the prison and no efforts are being made to save his life.  

The political prisoners in Israeli prisons, as the situation of the Syrian prisoner, Sitan Al-Wali, are victims of a punitive measure and to an inhuman treatment, which they are subject to in Israeli prisons. All this is in violation of international human rights standards, which guarantees the right of every person in life, freedom and personal safety, and states that the right to life is an inherent right for each person, and the law has to protect this right, and no one may be abused and deprived from his life. The demurrage of the authority at Al-Nafhah prison in doing the medical tests and the ultra sound which the physician requested for the prisoner Sitan Al-Wali for seven months, constitutes a serious violation of the Standards Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, 1977, and the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons Under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, adopted by General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988, and which confirms the importance of transferring the prisoners who need special treatment to special prisons or to civilian hospitals and to get medical tests and to be provided with medical care and treatment whenever needed.
Israeli occupation authorities’ pursuance to detain Sitan al-Wali in prison with no consideration for his critical health condition is an inhuman and degrading act. Therefore the international community and humanitarian and human rights organizations have to disapprove and condemn this inhuman act and demand that Israeli occupation authorities immediately release the detained Sitan al-Wali, and seriously investigate the reasons behind the demurrage of Nafhah prison’s administration to provide medical care during the seven months. As well the detention conditions of political prisoners in Israeli prisons must be improved in accordance with international standards which are set in international treaties and conventions on human rights.


Mr. President, respectable members of the Committee thank you for your time and attention