Palestinian prisoner dies while being held in solitary confinement in Israeli jail

Nassar Majed Taqatqa, 31, who had been held incommunicado in Nitzan prison in Ramle, central Israel, was declared dead early Tuesday morning, Qadri Abu Bakr, head of the Commission of Prisoners' Affairs, told The New Arab.

Israeli authorities claimed that Taqtaqa died of a stroke, but Abu Bakr said his death was linked to the dire conditions in Israeli jails.

"We reject the Israeli narrative and we demand an autopsy of the martyr to know the causes of his death," Abu Bakr said.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club (PPC), a semi-governmental organisation that supports political prisoners in Israeli jails, blamed Israeli authorities for Taqatqa's death.

"We hold Israel completely responsible for Taqtaqa's death and for all detainees' fate in its prisons," said the group, adding that Taqtaqa died while being interrogated by Israeli authorities.

Israeli forces detained Taqatqa about a month ago after raiding his family home in the town of Beit Fajjar, south of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, according to Palestinian Wafa news agency.

Taqatqa was transferred to the Israeli prison of al-Jalameh for interrogation and later was put in solitary confinement in Nitzan prison, where he died.

Israeli forces reportedly brought Taqatqa handcuffed to his family house about two weeks ago to search it. He was severely beaten before taking him back to prison.

PPC said that after Taqatqa's death the number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 now stands at 220.

There are currently approximately 5,500 Palestinians in Israeli jails, according to official data from the Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and the PPC.

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