Reports reveal Israeli Occupation using scabies as form of physical torture in Negev Prison

The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, along with the Palestinian Prisoners Society, reported a critical health crisis in Negev Prison stemming from an outbreak of scabies affecting hundreds of inmates.

According to their statements, the prison administration is deliberately maintaining conditions that have facilitated the spread of the disease while denying prisoners necessary medical treatment, effectively turning the situation into a form of physical and psychological torture.

Following visits by their legal representatives to several inmates between October 27 and 30, the Ministry and Society emphasized that the conditions in the prison violate the inmates' human rights, characterized by medical neglect and physical abuse.

Out of 35 prisoners interviewed, 25 were found to have contracted scabies, highlighting the extent of mistreatment faced by the inmates, particularly the sick and elderly.

The Ministry further revealed that some ill prisoners are intentionally transferred to Negev Prison, regarded as a hub for health violations, with the intention of exacerbating their health conditions.

Inmates have reported a severe lack of cleaning supplies, insufficient water, and inadequate access to clean clothing, forcing them to wash their clothes by hand and leave them damp, which has contributed to the spread of skin diseases. The prison administration has consistently ignored the prisoners' requests for medical treatment and improved sanitary conditions.

Among those significantly affected is 71-year-old Abdulrahman Salah from Jenin, who suffers from impaired hearing and vision, as well as worsening health issues following an assault in prison that resulted in partial bleeding in the brain and temporary memory loss. Despite his deteriorating condition, he was returned to Negev Prison where he contracted scabies, further worsening his situation.

Another prisoner reported enduring the painful effects of boils on his body for four months due to scabies, stating that he has received no treatment since becoming infected.