Ref:34/2022

Date: 03 April 2022

Time: 12:00 GMT

Early today, the Gaza Ministry of Interior announced the death of a detainee at Khan Younis Detention and Rehabilitation Center following a sudden deterioration in his health.

According to information collected by PCHR fieldworker from the Khan Younis detention and rehabilitation center, including interviews with inmates, at approximately 20:20 on Saturday, 02 April 2022,  while the on-duty nurse was rounding the prison cells to distribute medicines and check on detainees, 50-year-old detainee (S. T.), who was arrested on a criminal charge on 28 March 2021, and was brought to  Khan Yunis detention and rehabilitation center on 27 July 2021, told the nurse that he has heartburn and a dry cough. The nurse asked him if he suffers from any chronic diseases; the detainee replied that he has been suffering from heartburn (on and off) and he had previously taken a psychiatric medication and stopped it many years ago. The nurse gave him a cough medicine.

At approximately 00:10 on Sunday, 03 April 2022, the detainee was in more pain, and at his request – and his inmates’ request – he was taken to the prison clinic, given an inhaler and warm drinks. After that, the detainee returned to the cell and went to sleep. Half an hour later, the inmates heard a weird snoring sound, one of them checked (S. T.) and found his body was stiff, foam coming out of his mouth and blood dripping from his nose. The inmates immediately called the prison warden, who asked the on-duty nurse to come. They examined him and tried to resuscitate him. At around 01:20, he was taken via an ambulance to Naser Hospital, where a resuscitation attempt was made, but to no avail. At approximately 02:00, he was pronounced dead and his family was informed.

According to information collected from the prison clinic, upon the detainee’s arrival to the detention and rehabilitation center in July 2021, he received a medical examination and it was verified that he has no illnesses. During his detention, he was taken twice to the prison clinic due to abdominal pain in August and September 2021; the clinic ran laboratory exams and he was taken twice to Nasser Hospital to be presented to an internist. Additionally, on 26 February 2022, he was taken to the clinic to be presented to a dermatologist, and his general condition was good.

The deceased’s son, married with 6 children and living in Rafah, told PCHR fieldworker that he received a call on his cellphone early on Sunday and the caller identified himself as a member of the police at Khan Yunis Detention and Rehabilitation Center. The caller told him that his father, who was imprisoned on a criminal charge a year ago, was referred to Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to his serious health condition. Within 15 minutes, the police phoned him again and told him that his father was pronounced dead. He added that he headed to Naser Hospital, where he found his father’s corpse in the mortuary refrigerator and there were no signs on his face. He indicated that his father suffered from depression and he had a medical report stating his mental status. He added that his father did not suffer from any other diseases; and that he spoke to him two days ago and he did not complain of anything.

On Sunday, 03 April 2022, upon his son’s approval, the corpse was taken to the  Medical Forensic Department to identify the death cause. The forensic department said to PCHR’s researcher that the death cause was a heart attack (blockage in the coronary arteries).

The Ministry of Interior opened an investigation into the circumstances of death.

PCHR emphasizes that the General Directorate of the Rehabilitation and Reform Centers, the Ministry of Interior and Public Prosecution are all fully responsible for the life of the detainees and for occurrence of such incidents regardless of the reasons, as codified in Article (7) of the Rehabilitation and Reform Centers Law no. 6/1998, which provides that “… inmates in any prison remain under the legal guardianship of the prison director….” Moreover, PA has international obligations under the first rule of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules”, which stipulates that “…. the safety and security of prisoners…. shall be ensured at all times.”    

PCHR calls upon the Public Prosecution to open an investigation into the death circumstances, publish the results to the public and take all the necessary legal proceedings.