Israel deliberately inflicting mental harm on detainees

Constant violations have caused scores of detainees to suffer various psychological conditions, according to head of the Census Department of the Palestinian Committee of Detainees.

On World Mental Health, marked on October 10, Abdul Naser Farwana stated that Israel is deliberately, and consistently, inflicting psychological harm, keeping the detainees held under very difficult conditions, facing constant harassment, besides repeated physical assaults.

“As the world marks World Mental Health Day, Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons continue to face very harsh living conditions, deprived of basic rights, including the right to medical and mental services,” he said.

“As the violations continue, the detainees and their families face increasing pressures that impact their mental and physical health,” he added.

“They are denied the right to adequate mental and psychological care.”

He warned that, should the bad conditions and violations continue, they could have very serious impacts on all detainees, even after they are released.

Ferwana called on various international health organizations, local and international human rights groups, and UN organizations, to intervene and provide the detainees with the much-needed protection, and to ensure they are treated in accordance with all international human rights treaties.