Sidi Abdallahi Abbahah, Abdallahi Lakfawni, El Bachir Boutanguiza and Mohamed Bourial, Sahrawi political prisoners of the Gdeim Izik Group, detained in Kenitra prison, Morocco, have been on hunger strike for 32 days demanding transfer nearer to their families and respect for their basic rights such as medical care.
Prolonged starvation can result in serious harm to a person’s body and mind. When there is a deficit in energy intake, the body consumes its own stocks to maintain blood glucose, its main fuel. The body will first use fat stocks. Then, the body will begin to use muscle and organ tissue to produce energy. Salt and vitamin deficiencies are also harmful for the body. During a hunger strike, in addition to weight loss, many other symptoms are common:
Sensation of hunger at the beginning then loss of appetite;
Apathy and irritability;
Headache, dizziness, difficulty getting up and moving, stroke;
Anxiety, sadness, insomnia, impaired concentration;
Abdominal pain, peptic ulcers, nausea, constipation (sometimes diarrhoea);
Very painful nephrolithiasis, renal failure;
Reduction of blood pressure and respiratory rates.
Neurological disorders: limb paralysis, blindness, coma;
Bloating, diarrhoea;
Drowsiness, neurological disorders;
Cardiac or lung disorders;
The Strikers already suffer from almost all the symptoms described above and are in a situation considered to be at high risk.
The Directorate General of Administration of Penitentiaries and Reintegration of Morocco met with the families of the strikers on April 6 to tell them that they should put pressure on the strikers to stop the hunger strike and perhaps in the future could improve some of the current conditions of detention .
The absolute indifference of the Moroccan authorities, the lack of medical attention and respect for the basic rights of prisoners is a criminal act.
