INTERNATIONAL PRESS CENTER
www.ipc.gov.ps
02/05/2006
Prisoner Sbeih Gives Birth to Her Child at an Israeli Prison Hospital
GAZA, May 2, 2006 (IPC + Agencies) - - At the Mair Military Hospital near the city of Kfar Saba, north of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, the first cries of a young Palestinian baby "Baraa" echoed throughout the hospital, following a cesarean operation for his mother, prisoner Samar Sbeih. Samar's husband, Rasmi Sbeih, who is also a prisoner at the Negev Desert Prison, said that his wife gave birth to their first child at an Israeli hospital operated by the Israeli Prison Service.
Sbeih added that his wife gave birth under harsh measures, and was handcuffed during her pre-delivery tests, and she was uncuffed only when the doctors decided she would undergo a cesarean operation.
The Ministry of Prisoner and Ex-Detainee Affairs, along with several human rights organizations, have managed in the past weeks to issue a judicial decision forcing the Israeli Prison Service not to cuff the prisoner Sbeih while giving birth to her child - as was usually done when Palestinian prisoners give birth.
"I want to know if there is a law in the world that denies me the right of being transferred to another prison to attend my wife's delivery," Rasmi Sbeih said, calling on the international and human rights organizations to interfere and allow him to see his wife and new-born son.
Samar gave birth to her son without the presence of any member of her family, after Israeli occupation forces disrupted the enforcement of any verdicts that allowed the prisoner's sister and husband to attend the delivery.
the 22-year-old prisoner who is originally from Gaza Strip, is married and lives in Tulkarem. She was arrested on September 29, 2005 and was sentenced to 28 months in prison, after Israeli authorities allegedly accused her of receiving military training and affiliating with Hamas movement.
Samar's husband has been administratively detained at the Negev Desert Prison, and recently his detention was renewed for the second time consecutively.
On the other hand, the International Solidarity Association asserted that three Palestinian prisoners have given birth to their children at the Mair Military Hospital under tragic conditions, maximum security and through cesarean operations.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Prisoner and Ex-Detainee Affairs Wasfi Qabha, demanded on Sunday all the international organizations and human rights groups to immediately work on ending the tragedy of Palestinian prisoners, especially those who gave birth to their children behind bars.
The Minister added that more than 18 prisoners gave birth at Israeli jails, and are deprived of caring for their babies or even visiting them.
Qabha noted that the number of Palestinian female prisoners rose to 145 until last Saturday, after the latest Israeli arrest campaign, which resulted in the arrest of many mothers, sisters and wives of resistance activists, namely in the province of Nablus and northern West Bank.
SOURCE : IPC + Agencies
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