The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR 23 tively deprived of real and proper medical care. As a result, dozens of prisoners have died since the beginning of the occupation. The number of ill prisoners has risen due to inadequate health conditions in prison. Treatment provision has been used by the Israeli Prison Service as a bargaining chip to blackmail and put pressure on prisoners. Evidence shows that Israeli prison administrations, including warders and medical staff, intentionally aggravate conditions that exacerbate prisoners’ pain when they fall seriously ill. As a consequence of the medical negligence policy, 72 political prisoners have died in Israeli prisons since 1967. As many as 600 ill political prisoners are in need of intensive medical attention. Four prisoners developed cancer. Of these, the health condition of prisoner Nasser Abu Humeid is the worst. Owing to the Israeli Prison Service’s intransigence, procrastination, and aversion to provide needed medical care, the ICHR dispatched specialised physicians to examine the health condition of, and provide medical consultations to, prisoners, placing an increasing financial burden on their families and relevant institutions. The majority of diseases are an outcome of medical negligence, arbitrary detention, and deteriorating living conditions in prisons. Along this vein, the ICHR filed many petitions for the release of some ill prisoners in critical health condition. However, these motions were rejected without considering the health conditions of the prisoners in question. 1.1.1.4 The canteen and economic exploitation of prisoners Political prisoners are exploited by the prison canteens, controlled by the Israeli Prison Service and managed by Israeli companies. Prisoners are forced to spend most of their money on detergents, toilet paper, and sanitisers, which the Israeli Prison Service completely refuses to provide, especially with the outbreak of COVID-19 throughout prisons. Prisoners are further obliged to purchase food and beverages due to the poor quality and quantity of food provided by the Israeli Prison Service. This has placed a significant financial burden on prisoners and their families, who have to pay the price for their incarceration. The Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners’ Affairs has to afford financial and legal support to prisoners. In addition to providing proper treatment and rehabilitation, the Commission is required to offer adequate opportunities to prisoners after they are released and ensure effective social reintegration. The Commission incurs heavy costs as a result of the Israeli policies against political prisoners. These include: • Providing legal representation to political prisoners before courts by contracting an adequate number of defence lawyers at an annual cost of some ILS 9 million. • Paying the canteen allowance, (also including emergency needs, such as treatment in prison), at a cost of ILS 30 million. • Paying salaries of some ILS 40 million for prisoners still held in Israeli prisons and released prisoners. • Reintegrating released prisoners in society after long years of detention within the framework of the Released Prisoner Rehabilitation Programme, including vocational training, at a cost of almost ILS 1.4 million. • Affording higher education tuition fees for prisoners in prison (ILS 2.5 million) and for released prisoners (ILS 2 million). • Paying for the assistance for released prisoners, including impotency and dental treatment, at a cost of ILS 200,000 each. Twenty Seventh Annual Report 2021