New Valley: When a Prison Turns into a Mass Grave for Inmates

🔴 Growing human rights concerns regarding the conditions of detainees in Cell (3) at New Valley Prison

Al-Shehab Human Rights Center is closely following, with deep concern, the information being reported about the deterioration of living and humanitarian conditions inside Cell (3) at New Valley Prison, amid soaring temperatures and worsening detention conditions—conditions that threaten the safety and lives of detainees.

🔹 A comprehensive hunger strike in protest of detention conditions

According to information circulating, detainees in the cell have entered a comprehensive hunger strike since last Thursday, in protest against the harsh conditions they are subjected to inside the cells, which lack proper ventilation, in addition to reduced periods of outdoor exercise. This has led to repeated cases of fainting and suffocation, especially among patients and older persons.

🔹 Health deterioration and increasing risks

The information indicates that detainees’ health needs continue to be ignored, and that appropriate medical care is not provided for those with illnesses. This increases the health and psychological risks arising from the current detention conditions, raising serious concerns about detainees’ physical and psychological safety.

🔹 Suicide attempts reflecting the scale of the crisis

In a grave indication of the extent of suffering inside the cell, 13 suicide attempts were recorded within just two days—two attempts on Thursday and 11 attempts on Saturday. This reflects a state of despair and severe psychological pressure experienced by detainees as these conditions persist.

🔹 A call for urgent action

The repetition of suicide attempts, along with the deterioration of health and humanitarian conditions inside places of detention, requires urgent intervention by the competent authorities to ascertain the reality of the situation and to ensure the protection of detainees and the safeguarding of their rights guaranteed by law and by human principles.

📌 And Al-Shehab Human Rights Center calls for

▪️ An urgent and independent investigation into the conditions in Cell (3) at New Valley Prison.

▪️ Improving detention conditions and ensuring appropriate ventilation and necessary healthcare for detainees.

▪️ Allowing independent oversight bodies to visit the prison and examine the conditions of inmates.

▪️ Providing urgent psychological and medical support for cases at risk.

▪️ Commitment to national and international standards governing the treatment of detainees and protecting their human rights.

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