The United Nations has voiced concern over the health of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “is concerned about reports regarding the deteriorating health of Palestinian administrative detainees who have been on hunger strike for over a month.”
Dujarric added that the UN chief “reiterates his long-standing position that administrative detainees should be charged or released without delay.”
Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) voiced concern over a bill before Israel's parliament which would allow force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike against their will.
According to the UNHCR, around 125 Palestinian prisoners have been on hunger strike over the past six months to protest against their administrative detention.
Administrative detention is a sort of imprisonment without trial or charge that allows Israel to incarcerate Palestinians for up to six months. The detention order can be renewed for indefinite periods of time.
Palestinian prisoners have been subject to human rights violations such as the use of torture during interrogations.
