Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, condemns the crime of executing prisoner Khader Adnan (44 years old) from Arraba Town- Jenin, who died as a result to the predetermined medical negligence, on 2/5/2023. Martyr Adnan has been on hunger strike against the administrative detention since 87 days. SHAMS Center emphasizes that the crime against martyr prisoner Khader Adnan, reminds with the crimes of the Totalitarian, Fascist, and Colonial regimes against war prisoners in the detention centers where these regimes adopted several means in murdering prisoners.
SHAMS Center emphasizes that the decision made by the Israeli military court, at Oufer Prison on Sunday 3/4/2023, to reject releasing prisoner Adnan and continue his administrative detention despite the appeal presented by his lawyer to release him and the ongoing demands of his family and the human rights institutions to release him and the rejection to transfer him to a hospital despite the deterioration within his health conditions, as an indication made by the occupation authorities and prisons administration to execute prisoner Adnan. The decision of the Israeli authorities indicates the applied policy of the occupation’s state to deny the applicability of the related human rights law instruments (including Geneva Third and Fourth Conventions on the OPT)
SHAMS Center appreciates the heroism steadfastness of prisoner martyr Khader Adnan who recorded unpreceded case of challenge of the occupier and challenging the prison with his empty stomach through over the previous years in the Israeli Fascist prisons. Martyr Adnan started the first hunger strike for 25 days during 2004 while the second strike was for 67 days during 2012. The third strike was for 54 days during 2014 while the fourth strike was in 2021 for 25 days. The latest strike that lasted for 87 days was during the current detention in 2023, which caused his death. Martyr Adnan wrote, in the 58th day of his strike, his commandment in which he said: “In case I passed a way, do not allow the occupier to do dissection of my body as my flesh had melted due to the strike”.
SHAMS Center emphasizes that the crime of executing martyr Khader Adnan despite his deteriorated health condition, is a ring within the series of the systematic murdering crimes committed by the occupation against Palestinians in clear violation of the international human rights law. The occupation’s crimes violate particularly Geneva third and fourth conventions that affirmed clearly protecting prisoners and providing them with the needed health care. According to the given Conventions, prisoners have the right to periodical regular medical checkup and providing them with health clinic as well as permanent follow up of their health, especially sick prisoners.
With the death of prisoner Khader Adnan, the number of Palestinians who died inside the Israeli prisons and interrogation centers becomes 237 martyrs since the year 1967 up to date.
SHAMS Center affirms that the savage crimes of the occupation against Palestinians (murdering children and unarmed civilians, arresting children and women, home demolishing, confiscating land, denying right to freedom of mobility, and other crimes) are encouraged by the silence and collusion of the international community with the Fascist racist state (Israel). At the moment that the blood of the child Jebreel Al- Ladaa, who was executed by the Israeli troupes in Aqbet Jaber Refuhgee Camp- Jericho, did not dry yet, the Israeli authorities commit another crime of executing prisoner Khader Adnan. The crimes of the occupation take place within the unlimited support of the American Administration that was interpreted through the speech delivered by Kevin McCarthy, (The Head of the United States House of Representatives) where he addressed the Israeli Knesset (in recognition of the so- called 76th anniversary of the Independence of Israel). In his speech, he appreciated the historical ties between Israel and the USA. McCarthy emphasized that Israel is a prosper democratic state in the Middle East and represents the values of freedom, equality, and Nobel values. Before this speech, there was the speech delivered by Ursula Von Der Leyne, the president of the European Commission, who appreciated also the Israeli democracy and described it as oasis of democracy in the Middle East. Such speeches and positions contributed not only to cover the crimes of the occupation, but also encouraged the occupation state to proceed in its crimes against Palestinians. The speeches of both McCarthy and Von Der Leyne, contradict clearly with the reality and the history of the occupation’s state.
SHAMS Center calls upon all related actors, especially national, regional, and international legal and human rights organizations, to fulfill their moral and legal responsibilities in publicizing the crimes of the occupation and illustrate the real face of the occupation in front of the world. Additionally, SHAMS Center calls upon the official Palestinian institutions to intensify the efforts to submit a file to the International Criminal Court in Hague to trial the criminals responsible for executing martyr Khader Adnan and the other crimes of genocide against Palestinians.
SHAMS Center calls upon the Swiss Government, as the sponsor of Geneva Conventions and calls upon the states parties of the Geneva Conventions and annexed protocols, to initiate in taking the required measurements to obligate the occupation’s state to end its crimes against Palestinians in general and against Palestinian prisoners in particular. SHAMS Center calls upon His Excellency, the Secretary- General of the United Nations and so the High Commissioner of Human Rights, to form an international investigation committee to prepare a report about the execution of martyr Kader Adnan and present the findings to all states members of the United Nations to introduce them to the circumstances of the Palestinian prisoners in the Occupation’s Prisons and Interrogation Centers.
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