2020-03-17

Gaza

Human Rights Defenders / Gaza / position paper

The Assistant Undersecretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Medhat Mheisen as the Chairman of the State Commission for the confronting the Coronavirus

His Excellency Attorney General, Diaa Al-Dein Al-Madhoun, / Gaza

Subject: MUSAWA Demands Immediate Inspection on the Two Quarantine Centers in Gaza after Reporting News of Violations of the Rights of the Quarantined People

MUSAWA – The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession extends its warmest greetings to your Excellency, expressing its grave concern at the reported absence of quarantine requirements and the incompatibility of the two quarantine centers, not to mention that human rights, physical integrity and the right to health care are being violated in the mentioned centers. To preserve the lives of the community members, we stress the need to provide proper health care, examination, medical treatment, and respect for the human dignity of the inmates of the two quarantine centers, especially in light of their claims that the two-mentioned quarantine centers lack the suitable conditions. 

Having eight patients in a classroom that lacks medicals beds, clean toilet facilities for both men and women, medical supervision, and medication, particularly chronic patients, which constitutes a breach of the health care requirements established by WHO and regulated by relevant national laws.

MUSAWA draws two facts to your attention, first: quarantine is viewed as a custodial measure; thus, the quarantined individuals must be treated in a manner that preserves their dignity and human rights as potential carriers of the virus not as detainees. Second: maintaining the health of the quarantined is not only considered the patients’ right, but also a mandatory duty to maintain the health of the society, to protect the society members’ right to life, and to combat the coronavirus as a global epidemic.   

Accordingly, we call upon you and all competent official bodies and institutions to immediately and urgently inspect the mentioned quarantine centers, to take the necessary legal, administrative, and health requirements to ensure their compliance with the internationally recognized quarantine requirement, or to transfer the quarantined individuals to more suitable quarantine centers, and to provide all health requirements and medical personnel, while ensuring their safety and treatment if needed, in addition to holding accountable anyone proven to have violated the rights of the quarantined individuals or to have neglected performing their functional duty, and mandating an official media agency to inform citizens of the measures taken to ensure their safety and to combat the virus following the international standards, hoping that you keep us updated with the measures taken by your side in this regard.

With All Due Respect,

Issued on 17/3/2020

MUSAWA