The convicted murderer of former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Yigal Amir, began a hunger strike in prison last week. He was then sent to solitary confinement for a few days.
Amir began the strike on Friday when he started refusing the meals provided for him by the Prison Service. He returned the meals untouched. Due to this, he was classified as being on a self-imposed hunger strike.
Amir is a regular of staying in a cell by himself without access to other inmates. Following the onset of the hunger strike, he was sent solitary confinement, a cell that is allocated for those who are not to receive food. He will receive fluids and be checked by a physician from time to time.
Amir’s wife, Larissa Trembovler wrote on facebook that “Today is the fifth day of his hunger strike. When the media is publicizing falsehoods about him, Yigal is receiving an additional punishment and is no longer allowed to use electronic devices. This is just another attempt to break his spirit. I pray that G-d gives him strength.”
Amir, who is serving a life prison sentence, was punished for holding a phone conversation about starting a political party that would work towards arranging his release. A portion of that conversation was aired on the radio. As a result, the ISA (Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet) has decided to revoke his phone privileges, and Amir announced he is launching a hunger strike in response.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
So he is being punished for attempting to publicize his human rights? Seems to throw some doubt as to whether he was truly allowed to defend his rights during the alleged trial as well.