The Prisoners and Ex-prisoners Affairs Authority warned of the seriousness of the health condition of the prisoner with cancer Hussein Masalma 37 holding the Israeli occupation authority responsible for the policy of deliberate medical negligence inside its prisons.
Hassan Abd Rabbo the media advisor of the Authority said that Masalma has been in detention since 2002 and has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Masalma was suffering from abdominal pain but the prison administration did not give him any consideration or conduct medical examinations on him. This led to the deterioration of his health.
Abd Rabbo pointed out that after appeals and pressures from the prisoners Masalma was taken to Soroka Hospital for medical examinations. Three weeks ago tests proved that he suffered from leukemia and he was given chemotherapy treatment.
The media advisor clarified that the authority submitted a request through its legal department to the Early Release Committee of the Israeli prison service (IPS) that he should be released due to the difficulty of his health condition. He added that his family was allowed to visit him inside the hospital and that the visit would take place in the coming days.
He held the IPS fully responsible for Masalma’s health especially since 4 martyrs had died during the past year as a result of medical negligence. He called on human rights and humanitarian institutions to urgently intervene to release Masalma.
The number of sick prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons is approximately 700 including 12 cases of cancer.
