Categories: Human rights

Rights group urges Israeli government to vaccinate prisoners, being at-risk population

WhatsAppWhatsAppFacebookFacebookTwitterTwitterPinterestPinterestRedditRedditGmailGmailShareShare

Last updated on January 19th, 2021 at 08:12 am

Rights group: On Sunday, a joint petition was filed by five human rights organisations raising objections against the decision taken by Israeli Public Security Minister Amir Ohana. Ohana ordered that the prisoners in Israeli jails would not be vaccinated until a significant portion of Israeli population was inoculated. The petition was unitedly filed by ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, Adalah, HaMoked and Rabbis for Human Rights. 

In the petition, the five rights groups demanded that the Israel Prison Service should “vaccinate the entire prisoner population according to the vaccination priority set by the Health Ministry, with an emphasis on prisoners aged 60 and over, and those in a high-risk group.”

The joint petition stated, “According to professional sources, prisoners are an at-risk population and action must be taken to vaccinate them in parallel with the at-risk populations at large.”

Besides, the petition highlighted the biased attitude of the IPS as it “prevent prioritizing the vaccination of prison staff over the prisoners.” Last month, Ohana’s office issued a controversial statement, saying that IPS should only focus on vaccinating prison staff for now and added that prisoners should not be provided vaccines until further notice.

Ohana’s order, issued on December 26, came after Palestinian official announced that security prisoners would soon be getting Covid-19 vaccine shots. Many observers believed that Ohana, the ruling Likud party member, made the statement to challenge the statement made by Qadri Abu Bakr, the chairman of the PLO’s Prisoners Affairs Commission. Bakr said that the authorities would start to vaccinate Palestinian prisoners.

Deputy Attorney General Amit Marari said that the order issued by Ohana “was given without authority, and thus cannot stand.” But invalidating Marari’s comments, Ohana said that he would not be taking back his direction.

The petition, packed with a medical opinion from the Association of Public Health Physicians of the Israeli Medical Association, said: “Prisoners must be treated as a captive population. In the context of COVID-19, this is considered an at-risk population, both due to preexisting health issues and to the overcrowded conditions that increase the risk of infection and mortality.”

The medical association added, “the State of Israel has an ethical obligation to offer the vaccines to the prisoner population.”

With regard to the petition, Israeli Health Minsiter Yuli Edelstein also leaned in favour of the rights groups’ demand and told the Kan public broadcaster on Sunday morning, “The only body that determines the immunization arrangements is the Priority Committee [of the Health Ministry].”

About Rashmi Sacher

With over more than 3 years of writing obituaries for the local paper, Rashmi Sacher has a uniquely strong voice that shines through in her writings.

Rashmi Sacher

With over more than 3 years of writing obituaries for the local paper, Rashmi Sacher has a uniquely strong voice that shines through in her writings.

Recent Posts

UK Defence Boost to Create Scottish Jobs, Says Reeves

During the Babcock Fife visit, Chancellor Rachel Reeves raised UK export finance program funds by £2 billion. The new funding…

March 14, 2025

Tamil Nadu Govt Announces ₹20,000 for Every Gig Workers to Purchase E-Scooters

In a major decision, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu presented a new scheme in the state’s 2025-26 budget through…

March 14, 2025

Tesla Expands Autonomous Testing Fleet in California

Tesla started operating 224 driver trainers with 104 vehicles under its autonomous driving test permit in December in California. In…

March 14, 2025

Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Agency Staff Purge, Orders Reinstatements

Judge William Alsup finds federal government should restore positions to all probationary workers whose employment ended unlawfully. On Thursday a…

March 13, 2025

New UK Immigration Rules: Care Firms Must Hire Local Migrant Workers First

The UK government has brought in new regulations for employing staff within the care industry. From April 9, 2025 care…

March 13, 2025

Afghan Migrants in Panama: Facing Hard Choices and an Uncertain Future

Afghan migrants deported from the United States to Panama now face an uncertain future. Many of these deportees feel stranded…

March 13, 2025