Rights and Accountability 21 February 2012
Demonstrators spray graffiti with the image of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan, hunger striking for more than two months, during a protest to mark 7 years for the struggle against the wall in the West Bank village of Bilin, February 17, 2012.
ActiveStillsKhader Adnan, the Palestinian who has been on hunger strike for 66 days against his detention without charge or trial by Israel is in high spirits and sends greetings to all who support him. Yet there are new signs of a further decline in his health, according to Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association whose lawyer visited Adnan yesterday, 20 February.
Addameer posted the following message, in Arabic, on its Facebook page today, 21 February just after 11AM local time in Palestine. It has been translated by The Electronic Intifada:
A lawyer from Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association was able to visit the prisoner Sheikh Khader Adnan (34 years old) and on hunger strike for 66 days in Ziv Hospital in the Upper Galilee city of Safad, on Monday 20 February 2012, to review the latest developments regarding his health status. The lawyer conveyed from Sheikh Khader his intention to proceed with his hunger strike and that he is in high spirits, and that he will not back down until freedom.
The lawyer said that that the prisoner’s health condition has entered a critical stage, especially after medical tests were carried out on him, and that his hemoglobin level declined from 10.9 to 9.9 in a short period.
Today at 3pm the Israeli High Court will hear the petition against the administrative detention order for Sheikh Khader, despite the fact that Khader was prevented from attending the court. A lawyer from Addameer will be present at the court to bring you the latest developments about the hearing and his medical situation.
The prisoner Khader sent his greetings and thanks to all parties, institutions and individuals who have supported his cause and his hunger strike and all who are working toward his victory.
According to the US National Institutes of Health, the “normal range” for hemoglobin is 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dL.
Previous medical examinations of Adnan have confirmed the dire and imminently life threatening effects of the hunger strike on his body.
Yesterday a brief video clip of Khader Adnan speaking from his hospital bed was aired by Democracy Now. It is unclear when the video was shot.
