Ben Gvir Continues to Prevent Oversight of Prisons Amid Deteriorating Conditions for Prisoners

SadaNews - Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir refuses to allow inspectors from the Ministry of Justice and the Public Defender's Office to visit prisons and monitor detention conditions, amid the worsening conditions of Palestinian prisoners held in occupation prisons.

This was reported by Haaretz in a report on Wednesday, noting that a list of inspector names was submitted to Ben Gvir in December, but he has refrained from signing it since then and has ignored requests directed to him in this regard.

Additionally, Ben Gvir has refused for three years to allow members of the Bar Association, whose names appear on a separate list, into the prisons.

According to procedures of the Israeli Prison Service, Ben Gvir is required to approve the appointment of "official inspectors" authorized to enter prisons at any time, inspect detention conditions, manage facilities, and speak with prisoners.

The absence of any oversight and Ben Gvir's refusal coincides with the deterioration of prison conditions since October 2023, and the declaration of a state of emergency within them. The number of prisoners has reached a record high, exceeding 23,000 inmates, which has created difficult conditions inside the prisons.

Palestinian prisoners have been denied access to drinking water during the war, sometimes for hours, or even for half a day, as a form of collective punishment by the Israeli occupation authorities.

According to Haaretz, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel has approached Ben Gvir for reasons including reports regarding the conditions of prisons in Israel.

The association stated that "a committee affiliated with the United Nations issued the most severe and harsh report ever regarding the situation in Israeli prisons, particularly regarding the Palestinian prisoners held there".

It emphasized that "the absence of official visits to the prisons comes in contrast to the urgent and growing need for these visits, due to the significant deterioration in prison conditions, and it does not allow for the disclosure of information to the public".