Israeli ambassador to Ghana defends detention of pregnant Ghanaian woman in Israel

The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Shani Cooper Zubida, has defended the detention of a pregnant Ghanaian woman in Israel.

Josephine Kwabiwaa, 32, has been in solitary confinement for about four months over her refusal to undergo a tuberculosis test.

She had expressed fears the test which includes X-rays may have implications on her pregnancy due to the radiation.

But Israeli Ambassador to Ghana  Shani Cooper Zubida defended her country’s handling of the matter saying the lady in question is an illegal immigrant.

She also revealed in an interview monitored by theghanareport.com that Madam Kwabiwaa will soon be deported.

“Josephine Kwabiwaa is a Ghanaian citizen who has been illegally living in Israel since March 2013. The notice of her illegal stay in Israel reached the Israeli authorities who’ve been working accordingly with the Embassy of Ghana in Israel to send her back to Ghana” she said.

Photo: Josephine Kwabiwaa

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Israel has been accused of violating the United Nations and World Medical Association’s directive on holding pregnant women in isolation due to the potential hurt to their physical and mental health as well as the foetus.

Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) has already demanded that Kwabiwaa be moved from isolation so she can receive proper medical care.

“For four months, no one on the Israel Prison Service’s medical staff who met Josephine alerted anyone about the harm that could be caused to her as a result of her isolation or demand that it end,” Anat Lidvin, Director of the Physicians for Human Rights’ Department for Prisoners said.

Lidvin also told an Israeli newspaper, Haaretz that “this case shows how the Israel Prison Service violates the rights of prisoners and endangers their health and lives.

Back home in Ghana, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu Ras Mubarak has called for the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana to be summoned to answer questions over the detention.

The MP described the actions of Israel as unfair and inhumane.

“This is the worst thing any nation can do to any vulnerable person. And that is why I implore the Ghanaian authorities to immediately intervene to have our Ambassador in Israel go and have the condition of the Ghanaian woman and to seek her immediate release from such inhumane treatment” he said.