The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights on Thursday called for urgent measures to be taken to protect the Palestinian detainees in the Israeli prisons from the Coronavirus.

The center said in a statement that it is looking very seriously at the continued deterioration of the conditions of the Palestinian detainees amid the continuing spread of Coronavirus, especially in light of the news reported about the infection of a number of them.

It expressed fears about the insufficient measures taken by the Israeli government, which is a legal obligation on it as the occupying power.

In addition, it demanded for taking provisional measures during the transfer of the Palestinian detainees from one prison to another, in addition to reducing their overcrowding, and precautionary measures between themselves and other workers in the administration of the Prisons Authority, to ward off serious risks and threats to their lives and health rights guaranteed by international human rights standards and international humanitarian law.

It stressed that protecting the lives of Palestinian detainees and providing all the elements related to the right to health and medical care is the responsibility of Israel, according to Chapter Four regarding health conditions and medical care, of the rules for the treatment of detainees mentioned in the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.

Furthermore, it warned of the dangers of leaving "Israel" its duty to take all measures, which would prevent the spread of the virus among the Palestinian detainees, holding Israel fully responsible for their lives, as long as adequate measures were not taken.

The center called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities towards the residents of the occupied Palestinian territories, especially those held in Israeli prisons, by taking measures that would oblige the Israeli government to carry out its duties, and release sick detainees, the elderly, children, women, and other vulnerable groups.

Source : Safa