Palestinian prisoners forced to do hard labour in jail

Prisoners’ Centre for Studies revealed yesterday that Israeli prison authorities have forced Palestinian prisoners to complete hard labour which is not part of their sentence.

In a report, the organisation said that this started in 1967 when Palestinian prisoners were forced to work in the military’s metal shops and carpentries to produce and repair military equipment.

Raafat Hamdouna, a former prisoner in Israeli jails and current director of the Prisoners’ Centre, said that the detainees were also obliged to make carpets, iron the clothes of prison officers and clean their rooms, but this ended in the 1970s as the prisoners protested against this and a number died in the process.

Palestinian prisoners wanted to work in prison facilities related to their detention, Hamdouna explained, including the bakery and kitchen, however they have been refused this and instead Israeli detainees work there.

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