One of these strikes started in solidarity with a prisoner, Yelizaveta Kovalskaya, who had been violently transferred after she had allegedly insulted a visiting official. WebOne of the main advantages of strikes is that they allow workers to have a voice and to demand fair treatment from their employers. Despite the advantages it provided, agrarian culture also came with significant disadvantages. Pressure from families may have opposite results, a family sometimes urging the doctor to put a medical end to the strike, or conversely insisting that a prisoners decision to fast should not be undermined by any medical meddling. This leads to fat and muscle loss as well as changes in the body's processes. Changes are possible. In many cases, fasting will be limited to a short period of time, the main idea being to a ttract attention and try to put pressure on the authorities for a specific purpose. This type of intervention, particularly after a mere 10 to 12 days of fasting, has to be seen as coercive and not medical. If, however, there is reason to believe that the fast really is serious, there are several issues that any doctor involved has to consider. PRO: Drones are fun to fly. Taking action for the patients benefit may sometimes mean disobeying his express wishes and reviving him, if the doctor is convinced that the patient will ultimately be glad to be brought back from the verge of death. After making his point, however, he quietly admitted that he was, in fact, happy to be alive. The issue of force-feeding constitutes the link with situations of coercion and torture. Within the next week, he or she may suffer from vision loss or other neurological problems. A prisoner who personally would not have wanted to take up fasting may have been volunteered by the group leadership. WebOne of the main advantages of strikes is that they allow workers to have a voice and to demand fair treatment from their employers. Ever since gaining independence, Armenia has seen numerous other cases of hunger-strikes, including in penitentiary institutions. It is mostly used by those who have no other form of protest available -- usually prisoners. In its work over the years with prisoners throughout the world, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has come across many different types of hunger strikes - and food refusal too. Any such outside intervention was totally unacceptable in the (northern) Irish hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981. (Soldiers charging a heavily defended enemy position also run the risk of dying. Viva-MTS Survey: What women want to get as a gift for March 8? A political prisoner on hunger strike was eventually force-fed, as stipulated by the prison rules inherited from the former Soviet Union, once he was semi-conscious and too weak to resist an intravenous drip. Any advice they give may be interpreted by the hunger strikers as a ploy by the authorities to dissua de them from fasting. They have sent a clear message condemning every person in power who flip-flops on commitments to justice and equal opportunity. Knowing the actual determination of the strikers is also essential, as the medical consequences of a hunger strike will differ according to how seriously the strike is taken. The solution is for one to recognize reality, and figure out ways to overcome it. most effective in the lodged crops. So I hope we soon get to the point where nobody is a minority, and instead we are all just Americans. Most families, in fact, supported their sons or husbands on the strike.). WebDISADVANTAGES OF BEING A HUNGER SAVER. One common interpretation is that force-feeding is viewed as a form of torture, which indeed it may be on occasion. Summary: He ended the hunger strike 24 days later after his doctors warned him that he was at risk of suffering cardiac arrest. Disadvantages of Agrarian Culture. WebDuring a strike, workers refuse to work in order to get more money or better working conditions. The striker does not want to die: on the contrary, he wants to live better, by obtaining something for himself, his group or his country. Television spots, particularly during high viewership hours, can cost more than the entire marketing budgets of some businesses. All these external factors cannot simply be ignored. In the following years, there were also several hunger strikes by female political prisoners in Siberia, which were "remarkable given the relatively small number of female political prisoners sent" there. Finally, if the hunger strike gains attention from the outside, the media will also undoubtedly exert pressure on the situation. Prison doctors in relatively benign systems will carry out whatever medical duties are prescribed in such cases. After one month or after losing more than 18 percent body weight, there may be permanent damage to the body. The term is used to justify the refusal of food, possibly to give it some sort of noble justification. One typical prison doctor made it known early on to hunger-striking prisoners that, because of his profound religious principles, he would not tolerate any prisoner starving himself to death, and would not hesitate to order them to be force-fed at an early stage (in a country of Latin America in the late eighties). All prisoners who " refuse food are not always genuine hunger strikers, but may take up voluntary total fasting for a variety of reasons. Yet we respect their willingness to make that sacrifice. A case involving the application of Article 5 which occurred in South Africa in 1989 attracted widespread comment. The first type of food refuser is the reactive food refuser , arguably the most common sort of hunger striker in prisons. The reasons for a hunger strike are obviously as varied as the situations in which they take place. On April 6, 2016, she started a "dry" hunger strike, refusing both food and fluids. Here are 22 essential L.A. spots for every tourist, Column: We cant afford another writers strike. Moreover, Dr Kalk considered that their detention without trial constituted a form of torture, and refused to discharge the patients back into detention after they had recovered from the effects of the hunger strike. Finally, it will make a case for respecting the informed decision to accept or refuse medical assistance made by prisoners whose fasting is a genuine last resort protest in custodial settings. There are several reasons why authorities usually don't want a hunger striker to die. Even in the midst of extreme suffering, these behaviors may be considered as a method for prisoners to reclaim control and autonomy over their life. This is a loss that is difficult to make up over time. (Experience shows that the overwhelming majority of prisoners in this category are male, though no specific data are readily available.) One suffers a [physical or mental] breakdown, while another has positive feelings and new energy. 111 million drams from Mikael Vardanyan to 157 disabled children of Tavush. Maria Alyokhina, a jailed member of the Russian performance-art punk band Pussy Riot, started a hunger strike because she was not allowed to attend her own parole hearing. Prisoners and prison authorities know this, and both may use the confusion created by this general and confusing term to their own advantage. The different types of hunger strike, and their ethical implications for doctors, will be discussed in this paper. Individuals held in custody may go on hunger strikes for a variety of reasons. It was the June The collaboration between Viva-MTS and SOURCE Foundation continues to yield fruitful results, With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building, As of 11:00, no significant incidents were recorded on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The primary aim of the pressure thus exerted is to shame the authority into giving in to whatever demands are being made by the protesters as is described by WB Yeats in The Kings ThreshoId: if a man Be wronged, or think that he is wronged, and starve Upon anothers threshold till he die, The common people, for all time to come, Will raise a heavy cry against the threshold, Even though it be the Kings. WebStrikes laws, the Ewing v. California case as it pertains to the three strikes law. Once the prisoners were in hospital, they were duly informed of Article 5 of the Tokyo Declaration and told that there would be no force-feeding. Why do protesters put their lives in danger and use hunger strikes as a form of protest? In the authors experience, many a hunger striker has been convinced to stop fasting just by explaining that his underlying gastritis could lead to a perforated ulcer and consequently a dramatic end to the hunger strike. In addition, they may fear that, if they let a protester die, he or she could become a martyr for that cause. Physicians working in prisons, despite what may be their best intentions, may not be trusted by prisoners, and may be perceived, perhaps wrongly, as part of the coercive authority. Whether hunger strikers abandon the fast or not, they have a right to know about all the implications for their health, including the physiological effects of fasting. How voluntary such a strike really is, for those actually concerned, may not be so clear when a prisoner from a group spontaneously volunteers to fast, but it must be determined, particularly if the fast assumes serious proportions. Jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny began his hunger strike on March 31, 2021. Then there are the normal, mentally able prisoners who decide to suspend their food (and sometimes liquid) intake for a certain period of time, most often for some personal reason or (rarely) on behalf of the group they may represent. A hunger strike is a special type of protest in which participants are prepared to harm themselves to achieve a goal. The advantages and disadvantages of labor unions show us that there are positive and negative outcomes which are generated when any group can wield power. The prison doctors respected the expressed will of the hunger strikers, and force-feeding was not envisaged at any time. When telling the author about his experience, he first protested vehemently at not having his wishes respected by the prison doctor. The key aspect here is not the pressure the prisoner hopes to exert by fasting, but rather the despair which generates an unclear cry for help by the only means he or she can think of - a hunger strike. If the physician is to act in their best interest, provided they have consented to a proper doctor-patient relationship, then these influences have to be known and discussed. Since costs tend to grow over time, teams cut budgets instead of looking at costs. TERT AM, LLC Address: 1 Charents Str., Yerevan, Armenia, 0025 Tel: +374 41 768838 E-Mail: [emailprotected] Contact number for ads: 044 030320, The opinions expressed on the website do not have to coincide with the editorial staffs viewpoints.The website bears no responsibility for the content of ads and press review Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy. (During a hunger strike). Second, the act of feeding through a forcibly introduced naso-gastric tube can be dangerous in itself, as was demonstrated by two deaths in the region in the early 1980s. When workers feel that they are being Chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director, Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide, Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News, Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank, 'Mr. In any group of hunger strikers who have decided on a serious fast as a means of protest, there will be other pressures in addition to the obvious peer-group pressure. The two categories represent completely different states of mind and have different aims. WebIrish Hunger Strikes social forces that create tensions and stresses which push individuals and organizations into mobilization and action supportive of change thus creating the less ICRC teams visiting prisoners are frequently told that a hunger strike is on. This is certainly a misconception. State Department, There is no word yet on sending CSTO peacekeeping troops to Armenia, we hope that the conflict will be resolved peacefully. go on a hunger strike, of course I have to order them to be force-fed to save their lives . How serious these strikes actually were depended on various factors. A doctor from the outside, such as an ICRC doctor visiting prisoners, can arrange to s peak with individual hunger-striking prisoners in private, and thus be in a better position to determine the exact motivation behind the strike. In any case, its a good excuse not to go to class. Certainly not. WebHunger strikes were tolerated but prisoners were released when they became sick. To be valid in law, a strike must be conducted by a trade union and must As hunger strikes often occur among prisoners protesting in countries affected by conflict, ICRC doctors are often confronted with hunger strikers. What Are the Advantages of Labor Unions? This type of refuser is generally the opposite of the reactive type. I am Mexican American, I guess third-generation, whatever; I can honestly tell you I have never asked for nor received anything because of affirmative action. Ministry of Defense, The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains extremely worrying. The contraindications are given to patients with malignant tumors (though Bragg insists on the contrary), people who are up to 15 percent underweight, as well as those suffering from pulmonary TB, blood diseases, diabetes, heart and stomach disorders, stomach ulcer etc. (Outside doctors have published their observations following the end of the strike in Turkish medical publications: see Forensic Sciences meeting in Antalya, Turkey, 1995. Whatever the cause, several factors have to be considered when dealing with real hunger strikers. As people suffering from malnutrition are not able to do any hard work. Viva-MTS, Ucom offers a new uDrift 3500 mobile internet tariff plan, The first Doing Digital Forum will be held in Yerevan, The so-called "reintegration" of Artsakh into Azerbaijan will directly pave the way to ethnic cleansing and genocide. Someone who attempts suicide is either appealing for help, as in the majority of cases, or he truly wants to end his life. A number of things strike me as I read this story. An opposition candidate running in the February 18 presidential election, Andrias Ghukasytan, conducted a 30-day hunger-strike ahead of the voting as a sign of protest against electoral processes in Armenia. This is the crucial argument - to be pursued later on which refutes the frequent assertion that hunger strikes are tantamount to suicide. Other prisoners will also be observing the volunteer and this may considerably complicate his freedom of decision. Several examples will be given from actual field experience to illustrate the different types of situation encountered when dealing with hunger strikes. (In these, some prisoners skipped breakfast, some lunch and other dinner, with all of them saying they were on hunger strike.) Therefore, the U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence suggests that trained health-care professionals make sure that nutrients are cautiously and gradually introduced to anyone who has refused food for five days or more. If a prisoner has clearly stated that he refuses to be force-fed, then the doctor must use his clinical and moral judgement to do his best for the patient without resorting to any form of coercion. In tolerant systems, they may tax the patience of both the prison authorities and the prison doctor. If the doctor can gain the confidence of all involved, in some cases a compromise may be reached or an issue clarified through him that can lead to the end of the strike (see the example below involving the ICRC in Georgia). As soon became clear, the hunger strikes in Ulster were deadly serious, with a total of ten prisoners dying over several months. Brit Med J 315: 829-830, Restellini J P (1989) Les grves de la faim en pnitentaire. Russian opposition activist Lyubov Sobol launched a hunger strike in July 2019 after she was barred from running in an election for Moscow's city legislature. The implications for doctors dealing with hunger strikers will vary considerably according to the type of fasting involved, and the real purpose behind the refusal to eat. In truly coercive regimes, prisoners considered nuisances are rarely accepted, let alone allowed to spread their nuisance value outside prison. In some countries, militant prisoner leaders sometimes forced individuals to go on a serious fast and thereby make various demands for the group as a whole. The prisoners concerned often regard themselves, and claim to be, legitimate hunger strikers. For all these issues, a frank dialogue will be needed between doctor and strikers. While online marketing and promotional strategies do level the playing field to some extent, cost represents the big disadvantage for most marketing efforts. If a hunger striker perforates an ulcer after only a week, the whole purpose of the strike - in addition to his health - will be jeopardized to no avail. As the idea behind a strike is to try to force the authority to make concessions on some point, this takes time. An individual prisoners margin of freedom allowing him to refuse orders from his internal hierarchy may be slim or non-existent. In countries where prisoners rights are not fully respected, hunger strikes may be a last resort for prisoners wanting to protest against their situation The World Medical Association (WMA) hasestablished Guidelines for doctors involved in hunger strikes. Taken up since then by many official bodies, including the United Nations in the 1984 Convention against Torture, it expressly forbids any doctor to participate in any form of torture. Hunger or malnutrition not only affect the health of people but it also ruin future generations. As is well known, the World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Tokyo of 1975 prohibits any participation in torture, whether actively, passively or through use of medical knowledge, by a medical doctor. Although this may be true in very politicized contexts, experience shows that there may be misunderstanding and intransigence in the relationship between the parties. The next decades would witness many other hunger strikers around the world. In fact they rely on the prison doctor to intervene and take any action necessary to keep them in good health. Indications for fasting treatment are given in case of such medical conditions as bronchial asthma, ischemic heart disease, chronical bronchitis, benign tumors, pancreatitis, skin allergies etc. It has already been said that hunger strikes do not just involve people in custody. Extract from the publication "Maltreatment and Torture", in the series Research in Legal Medicine - Volume 19 / Rechtsmedizinische Forschungsergebnisse - Band 19. This may be difficult or even impossible for the prison doctor himself. It is important, particularly for the medical personnel involved, to differentiate these various types of prisoners from the outset, as the way the situation is approached and handled will also vary greatly in each case. The real reason for Article 5 is, however, different (personal communication by Dr. Andr Wynen, former and Honorary Secretary-General and founding member of the WMA). Feeling that Tokyo did not give enough guidance to doctors on performing their ethical duties in the event of hunger strikes, they proposed to amend and expand the declaration. It is directly related to the issue referred to earlier, of a hunger strike being tantamount to suicide. Heeding the informed consent of a hunger striker, confirmed within the trust of the docto r-patient relationship, and respecting the intrinsic dignity of the fasting prisoner is certainly part of the doctors duty in looking after the patients welfare. Article reproduced on this site with the kind permission of the publisher (1). Such an action is often aimed at protesting prison conditions, achieving a policy change, or bringing attention to a certain case or cause. This deals exclusively with the issue of voluntary total fasting and the doctors role vis--vis prisoners in such circumstances, without making any reference to situations of torture. Consciously or subconsciously, according to context, culture and intellect, he will expect to be taken care of long before there is any danger to his health from fasting. Given from actual field experience to illustrate the different types of situation encountered when dealing with strikes. 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