Release Walid Daqqah: A Call for Justice in Israel/OPT

Amnesty International Calls for Release of Terminally Ill Palestinian Prisoner

Introduction

Amnesty International has recently called on Israeli authorities to release Walid Daqqah, a 62-year-old terminally ill Palestinian prisoner, so he can access specialized medical care and spend his remaining time with his family. Daqqah suffers from chronic lung disease and bone marrow cancer, and the clinic at Israel‘s Ayalon Prison is ill-equipped to handle his conditions. The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has denied Daqqah access to potentially life-saving treatment, including a bone marrow transplant, by refusing to transfer him to a civilian hospital. Amnesty International argues that denying prisoners access to adequate medical care violates international standards and may constitute torture.

Israeli Justice System’s Cruelty

Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Heba Morayef, emphasizes that Daqqah’s case illustrates the cruelty of the Israeli justice system towards Palestinians who are seriously ill or dying. Daqqah’s health conditions have been exacerbated by medical neglect, as evidenced by the IPS’s refusal to transfer him to a proper hospital for 11 days after he had a stroke earlier this year. This delay led to life-threatening complications. Now, Daqqah faces the prospect of a painful death behind bars.

Violation of International Standards

Amnesty International argues that denying prisoners adequate medical care violates international standards on the treatment of detainees and may amount to torture. They call on Israeli authorities to release Daqqah on humanitarian grounds as soon as possible and ensure he receives the medical care he urgently needs.

The Case of Walid Daqqah

Walid Daqqah served a 37-year prison sentence for his involvement with an armed group implicated in the abduction and killing of an Israeli soldier in 1984. He completed this sentence in March 2023. However, in 2018, he was sentenced to an additional two years on charges of attempting to smuggle phones to other Palestinian prisoners, extending his imprisonment until March 2025. Given Daqqah’s deteriorating health, it is uncertain whether he will live to see his release date.

Medical Negligence

In 2022, Daqqah was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare form of bone marrow cancer. He also suffers from chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD). Following the IPS’s delay in transferring him for emergency treatment after his stroke in February, Daqqah experienced complications, including pneumonia and kidney failure, necessitating the removal of most of his right lung. Both Israeli haematologist Moshe Gatt and chief medical officer Dmitry Klotzky have conducted medical evaluations of Daqqah’s case, affirming the urgent need for his relocation to a clean and hygienic environment. Daqqah’s wife, Sanaa Salameh, confirms that her husband has been subjected to systematic and longstanding medical negligence in prison.

Furthermore, Palestinian human rights organizations, such as Addameer, have long documented Israel‘s policy of medical negligence against Palestinian prisoners. The World Health Organization and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the OPT have also expressed concerns about the IPS’s treatment of sick Palestinian prisoners. The United Nations’ Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners state that prisoners should receive the same standards of healthcare available in the community without discrimination based on their legal status.

Punitive Solitary Confinement

Daqqah, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was arrested in March 1986 and later convicted of commanding a group affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which abducted and killed an Israeli soldier. While he was not convicted of carrying out the murder himself, he was found guilty of ordering others to commit the act. Daqqah claims that he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment during his interrogation.

During his time in prison, Daqqah wrote essays on the impact of incarceration on Palestinian society, a novel for young adults, and letters describing prison life. However, after the publication of his novel, the IPS placed him in punitive solitary confinement. Petitions for conjugal visits by Daqqah and his wife have been repeatedly rejected by Israeli authorities. Palestinians categorized as “security prisoners” are denied this right, which is typically granted to Jewish Israeli prisoners with the same classification.

Despite these challenges, Daqqah and his wife managed to conceive a child by smuggling sperm out of the prison, and their daughter Milad was born in 2020. However, Daqqah was placed in solitary confinement following the birth and was unable to see his child for the first 18 months of her life.

Amnesty International’s Call for Release

Daqqah’s family plans to file an appeal with the Israeli Supreme Court, but they face the constraint of time. According to medical evaluations, Daqqah’s prognosis is between one and two years, making his continued detention until 2025 both cruel and unnecessary. Amnesty International urges Israeli authorities to release Daqqah, end the systematic denial of adequate medical care to sick Palestinian prisoners, and adhere to international standards for the treatment of detainees.

Conclusion

The case of Walid Daqqah highlights the urgent need for reforms within the Israeli justice system to ensure the rights and well-being of Palestinian prisoners. Denying them access to adequate medical care and subjecting them to punitive measures only perpetuates their suffering and violates their fundamental human rights. It is imperative that Israeli authorities address these issues and prioritize the physical and mental health of all prisoners, regardless of their legal status. The international community must continue to advocate for justice, fairness, and respect for human rights in the Israeli-Palestinian context.

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