Israel was willing to remove restraints from a hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner for a court hearing, but not when he received emergency care in hospital, Physicians for Human Rights lawyer Tamir Blank told The Jerusalem Post on Monday, August 22, following a hearing at the Supreme Court. Bilal Kayed was in the 68th day of his hunger strike against his administrative detention when he appeared at the Supreme Court to demand his freedom and that his hospital bed restraints be removed. Participating in the hearing were Joint List MKs Youssef Jabareen (Hadash), Ossama Saadi (Ta’al) and Ahmad Tibi (Ta’al)
Joint List MKs Youssef Jabareen (Hadash), Ossama Saadi (Ta’al) and Ahmad Tibi (Ta’al) with Bilal Kayed’s mother at Israel’s Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Monday, August 22 (Photo: Al Ittihad)
A member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Kayed was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison. On the day on which he was to be released, June 13, he was immediately placed under administrative detention, a practice which Israel has previously used with other Palestinian prisoners who have completed serving their prison terms.
The Israeli Prisons Service (IPS) revealed at Monday’s Supreme Court hearing that, before the hearing, it had removed all but one of Kayed’s leg restraints. Attorney Blank responded that this was a transparent, cynical tactical move by the state designed to achieve two goals: first, doing so would purport to demonstrate to the court state’s flexibility, even though Kayed is still being shackled to his hospital bed; second, it would make it more difficult for the Supreme Court to address the general IPS policy of shackling hospitalized hunger-striking detainees.
Indeed, the Supreme Court justices refused to rule on that policy, since Kayed himself was no longer fully restrained during his appearance in court. Attorney Blank emphasized that the state had refused to remove any of Kayed’s restraints when he was temporarily brought to emergency care in hospital the previous Friday. Blank said this plainly showed that the state was only willing to be flexible for the sake of Kayed’s health when the Supreme Court was in the picture. The IPS was not asked and did not offer to explain why it had removed most of Kayed’s restraints before his court appearance. Attorney Blank added that Kayed should released from his remaining leg restraint, as he is under heavy guard and is unable to escape, and furthermore demanded that the prisoner have access to independent medical care.
On Saturday, Robert Piper, the UN’s resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories vigorously condemned Israel’s used of administrative detention, saying, “I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of Palestinian detainee Bilal Kayed, after 67 days of a hunger strike protesting his detention without charge or trial… This is an egregious case, in which Mr. Kayed was placed on administrative detention on the day of his scheduled release after completing a 14.5 year prison sentence.” Dozens of Palestinians demonstrated on Monday outside of the UN headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah to protest what they call the failure of international organizations to pressure Israel to free hunger-striking prisoner Kayed. Around 50 activists blocked the entrance of the UN building and prevented workers from entering the premises. “My brother has been on hunger strike for 69 days now in protest of his administrative detention, yet no international organization has taken action to release him,” Kayed’s sister, Nazik Kayed, told the Turkish Anadolu News Agency. “The main role of international organizations is to defend human rights and protect freedom, but they have failed to do so,” she said.
On last Friday, August 19, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network picketed yet again outside the offices of G4S just off of Fifth Avenue in New York. Samidoun has been holding weekly protests in solidarity with Bilal Kayed, demanding his release. Protesters gathered in front of G4S Security Solutions holding signs and Palestinians flags. G4S Security Solutions is a privately-owned security company that sells supplies to prisons all over the world, including Israel. Samidoun announced its intention to continue to hold weekly protests, escalating them each week, until Kayed is freed and able to go home.
