With a headshot of Marwan Barghouti, Haaretz brings us this chilling report from the Israel Bar Association describing Israel’s isolation wings at the Ayalon and Shikma prisons as “not fit for human habitation” and “look more like a dungeon.” “crammed, rancid with smells of sewer and mold, and infested with insects.”
The report noted that prolonged stay isolated from the general prison population has profound psychological impacts. “Many isolated inmates testified to have developed paranoia, a tendency for uncontrollable fits of rage, and eyesight problems because of the lack of natural light through most hours of the day,” the lawyers wrote.
… Prison Servic spokesman Yaron Zamir said in response that isolation was being carried out “under court monitoring and according to sheer necessity, while providing the appropriate conditions, rights and treatment.” He also said that a multi-year plan by the Prison Service included a large investment in renovating the prisons, including the isolation wings, with work already having begun in a number of them.
