Middle East News
Four Jordanian prisoners released by Israel go on hunger strike
Nov 13, 2007, 9:21 GMT
Amman - Four Jordanian prisoners transferred from Israel earlier this year are on a hunger strike to press their demand for better prison conditions, a representative for their families was quoted as saying Tuesday.
The four men, who are being held at Qafqafa prison, 60 kilometres north of Amman, launched their hunger strike five days ago 'because the government continues to ignore their demands for better incarceration conditions,' Saleh Ajlouni, head of the Committee of Families of Jordanian Prisoners, told the Jordan Times.
'The men are war heroes, not prisoners, and must be treated in that manner,' he said.
There has been no comment from the Interior Ministry on the report.
The four prisoners - Khaled Abu Ghalyoun, Salem Abu Ghalyoun, Sultan Ajlouni and Amin Saneh - were transferred by Israel to Jordan in July after an agreement was reached for them to complete their sentences in Jordan.
Since their arrival, they have had a series of run-ins with officials because they refused to war regulation prison garments, saying such uniforms were for common criminals.
The four men, who spent 17 years in Israeli jails after receiving life terms, are eligible for release after completing 18 months in Jordanian jails, according to the agreement reached between the two governments.
The four men were arrested in 1991 after infiltrating the Jewish state and killing two Israeli soldiers.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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