DZWatch Exclusive: The Prisoners’ Affairs Office has issued a stark warning regarding the well-being of Ahmad Sa’adat, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), currently held in Israeli custody. The office holds the Israeli Prison Administration fully responsible for Sa’adat’s life and safety, citing credible reports of physical and psychological abuse.
In a statement released today, the Prisoners’ Affairs Office urged the International Committee of the Red Cross and international human rights organizations to intervene immediately and halt the alleged mistreatment. The statement detailed concerns over Sa’adat’s declining health, noting significant weight loss attributed to repeated assaults within Israeli prisons.
According to the report, Sa’adat, 72, has been subjected to both physical and psychological abuse, most recently in the isolation ward of Janot prison, where he was transferred from Megiddo prison. Upon arrival at Janot, Sa’adat was reportedly severely beaten by Israeli suppression units.
The statement cited documented testimonies indicating that Sa’adat endured frequent cell raids, degrading searches, and a marked deterioration in his overall health while held in Megiddo. These actions are described as part of a retaliatory policy targeting his symbolic importance and stature within the Palestinian movement.
Sa’adat’s family reports that he previously contracted scabies and has been subjected to harsh conditions, including an assault during his transfer from Ramon to Megiddo in March. He was allegedly held for hours in the prison yard, bound and with his head covered.
The Prisoners’ Affairs Office asserts that the treatment of Sa’adat constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, suggesting a deliberate attempt by the Israeli authorities to slowly eliminate prominent Palestinian figures within prisons under the guise of official procedures. DZWatch is closely monitoring the situation as it unfolds.
Ahmad Sa’adat has served as the Secretary-General of the PFLP since 2001. He has been imprisoned in Israel since 2006 and is serving a 30-year sentence related to the PFLP’s assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi in 2001. The PFLP is the second-largest faction within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) after Fatah.
