Female detainees at Israeli prison face escalating abuse

Female Palestinian detainees held at the Israeli Damon Prison are facing increasingly brutal treatment and harsh conditions, the Palestinian Prisoners Commission revealed today.

Following a visit by the commission's laywer, it said in a statement that the prison administration is continuing to refuse detainees winter clothing and blankets amid increasingly wintry weather conditions.

According to the statement, detainees are only permitted one winter coat, and only very basic hygiene and personal care supplies.

It added that prison guards regularly enter cells without regard for the detainees' privacy, using tear gas in some instances. Some detainees also reported that the prison's deputy director had physically assaulted them.

Moreover, the commission found that women were deterred from seeking medical treatment at the prison clinic, as they often face interrogation during their visits.

It added that plastic barriers had been placed over the doors of the women's cells to prevent them from communicating with each other.