Palestinian Detainee Documents Worsening Abuse of Women in Israeli Jails

In testimony to her lawyer, 23-year-old Shahd Muhammad Adi describes night raids, stun grenades, and the use of dogs against female prisoners

A Palestinian woman held in an Israeli prison has documented what she describes as an escalation in assaults on female Palestinian detainees, in testimony relayed through her lawyer.

The accounts of Shahd Muhammad Adi were cited in a report published Saturday by the Palestine Information Center, drawing on testimony she gave to lawyer Hasan Abbadi. The 23-year-old and her fellow inmates, the report said, have been subjected to repeated assaults and violations by Israeli prison guards since her arrest in late March.

Her testimony describes a pattern of mistreatment that includes guards forcing female prisoners to remove their hijab in very cold weather, storming cells while inmates were praying, blindfolding, and physical abuse.

‘The most violent’ assault

Adi, a nursing graduate from the town of Beit Ummar, said the most violent assault took place on May 13, when female prisoners were attacked in their cells as they prayed at night. According to her account, guards used stun grenades and police dogs, forcing the women to lie on the ground while brandishing weapons and hurling verbal abuse. She said guards had repeatedly released dogs into cells during night raids in recent months to spread fear among the detainees.

Israeli prison authorities, she added, have also restricted the women’s access to medical care and clothing, and reduced both the quality and quantity of the food provided. Adi warned that the continued assaults and deprivations risked worsening the prisoners’ health, potentially leading to the spread of skin conditions and other ailments.

The testimony adds to long-standing accounts by Palestinian and international rights groups of the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees — including women — held in Israeli custody.

Reference: PressTv