The Israeli occupation authorities' ban on introducing more means of ventilation and air conditioning into prisons compounds the suffering of the prisoners in the summer, and the summer heat becomes a collective punishment practiced against the prisoners, in clear violation of their most basic rights.

insistence on suffering

The occupation authorities continue to prevent the introduction of additional fans for prisoners, and prevent the installation of air conditioners in prisons, especially those located in areas with high temperatures and humidity, in parallel with poor ventilation and overcrowding, which causes additional suffering to prisoners, the head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Qadura Fares confirms to "Quds." dot com.

Fares says: "The lack of good ventilation and the presence of an overcrowding in the number of prisoners, and the lack of sufficient fans, and therefore this means affecting the prisoners and causing suffering for them, especially the sick prisoners."

According to Fares, the Israeli occupation authorities continue not to respond to the repeated demands for additional fans or the installation of air conditioning, especially in prisons that are located in nature and bad weather conditions. To increase ventilation and expand windows, but Israel does not respond to anyone, even international institutions that do not put pressure on Israel.

An international right

The prisoners have the right, according to Helmi Al-Araj, director of the Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights "Hurriyyat", in an interview with "Al-Quds" .com, to have appropriate means and living conditions as the most basic rights guaranteed to them by international humanitarian laws and international agreements, but what is happening is preventing the means of cooling and ventilation In the summer, or heating in the winter, it causes them health, psychological and physical suffering, and Israel may use it as a collective punishment against the prisoners.

Al-Araj indicates that in light of the climate change we are experiencing, and in light of the overcrowding and lack of proper ventilation, the prisons become very hot in the summer, and the prisoners need additional fans or means of air conditioning, as those fans that already exist are at the detriment of the prisoner, but they are also few. .

Al-Araj believes that in light of the high heat, every prisoner needs a fan on his own! This means an increase in the cost for the prisoners, and is an annoying matter in light of the overcrowding, bearing in mind that finding means of ventilation or heating is required by the occupying state according to international laws, not by the prisoner.

Heat and cold is a punishment!

The weather conditions, from the summer heat or the bitter cold in the winter without proper air conditioning, have become an additional punishment imposed by the Israeli occupation state on the prisoners, Helmy Al-Araj confirms.

According to al-Araj, the lack of means of cooling or ventilation causes additional suffering to the prisoner, especially from the sick, especially those who suffer from asthma or sinuses, and in light of insufficient ventilation, and in light of overcrowding, the suffering increases, and what is happening is collective punishment of prisoners that affects their lives.

Al-Araj indicates that Israel benefits from overcrowding in prisons economically, because reducing overcrowding means that it requires the presence of additional departments or prisons, and this means other financial budgets, which Israel does not want, noting that the issue of overcrowding in prisons may rise to the level of torture. Psychology of the prisoner.

Al-Araj notes that the failure to provide a suitable living environment for the prisoner explains the reasons for the increase in diseases among the prisoners, including serious and chronic diseases, which are suffering whose causes are complex, the most important of which is neglect and the failure to create a suitable living environment for the prisoners, in contravention of human rights and international agreements.