The Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, accepted today (Sunday) the petition of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the NGO *Gisha* against the Israel Prison Service and the State, ruling that adequate food supply must be ensured for security prisoners.
The petition was filed after, with the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" war, the prison catering policy was changed, and security prisoners lost the ability to purchase food at the canteen. Since then, the prisoners have been completely dependent on the meals provided by the Prison Service.
The full ruling of the High Court of Justice [in Hebrew]
The petitioners argued that the prisoners are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, presenting testimonies and affidavits regarding weight loss.
The Court noted that "the picture that emerged before us indicated signs that the current food supply for prisoners does not sufficiently ensure compliance with the legal standard in practice."
Justice Daphne Barak-Erez, joined by Justice Ofer Grosskopf, ruled that the State is obligated not only to establish food menus but also to ensure that, in practice, each prisoner receives food in the quantity and composition required to maintain health. She stated: "The supply of food is not a means of punishment, and considerations irrelevant to nutrition must not be introduced when determining the menu."
Justice David Mintz dissented, holding that according to the data presented, the State is meeting its obligations and there is no room for High Court intervention.
The ruling obligates the State and the Prison Service to take immediate steps to ensure compliance with the law, including ongoing medical and nutritional monitoring of prisoners' condition.
The judgment states that the Prison Service must "formulate food menus that meet the established legal standard and conduct periodic monitoring of the data of security prisoners. It must also ensure that food distribution actually guarantees each prisoner access to the food allocated to him according to the Prison Service menus, and that additional food is provided when required according to the prisoner's needs and personal circumstances."
Finally, the ruling states that the Prison Service is required "to take measures ensuring that security prisoners, too, are provided with food that allows basic living conditions in accordance with the law."