PA security arrests hunger striker Hassan Safadi’s brother

Aug. 6, 2012 Samidoun

Photo: ActiveStills/Ahmad al-Bazz

Palestinian Authority security forces arrested hunger striking prisoner Hassan Safadi’s brother, Saleh Safadi (30 years old) today, August 6, 2012, reported Addameer. Around 30 members of the PA security forces raided their home at 3:00 am and took Saleh to Jenaid prison near Nablus, without giving any reasons for the arrest. Saleh previously spent 1 year under “administrative detention” in Israeli occupation prisons in 2007.

Hassan Safadi is currently on hunger strike in Israeli prisons; he is on his 47th day of a renewed hunger strike, following an earlier 81 day hunger strike. Hassan was one of the long-term hunger strikers held in administrative detention without charge or trial who, under the agreement to end the mass prisoners hunger strike on May 14, 2012, was supposed to be released at the expiration of his term of administrative detention. This was not Hassan’s first experience in administrative detention – from 2007-2010 he was the longest serving Palestinian political prisoner under administrative detention without charge or trial.

In violation of the agreement, his administrative detention was extended for an additional six months rather than his release being secured on June 21, 2012. He immediately re-started his hunger strike in protest of this violation, demanding his immediate release and was placed in isolation. Addameer and Physicians for Human Rights have reported:

Hassan is currently being held in an isolated cell. Hassan has reported escalating pressure from the IPS to end his hunger strike. Hassan further noted that his court hearing on 25 July has been delayed again until 07 August, stressing that he is in no condition to travel 15 hours every time for the court hearings. He also reported suffering from kidney problems, sight problems, extreme weakness, severe weight loss, headaches, dizziness and has difficulty standing.

Hassan’s mother – interviewed earlier by the Electronic Intifada – was just released from hospital today, to return home to find Saleh detained as well, also without charge. Hassan himself was just assaulted by occupation forces at the beginning of the week.

Hassan is not the only hunger striker in occupation prisons – Samer al-Barq is on his 77th day of hunger strike, and Ayman Sharawna is on his 37th day. Samer Issawi announced his hunger strike on August 2, joining Ayman Sharawna, who is also protesting his re-arrest swiftly after being released in the prisoner exchange of October 2011.

Urgent: Hunger striker’s administrative detention order renewed in violation of recent agreement

 June 21, 2012 Addameer

Note: Following publication of this press release, Addameer lawyer Fares Ziad phoned after visiting Hadarim prison and confirmed that Hassan Safadi has re-launched his hunger strike and is currently being held in solitary confinement in Hadarim. 

Ramallah, 21 June 2012 – Addameer is outraged by today’s news that Hassan Safadi, who engaged in hunger strike for 71 days, has had his administrative detention order renewed for an additional six months. Hassan, who launched his hunger strike on 5 March, was one of the five long-term hunger strikers in administrative detention who were promised release upon the expiration of their current orders in the agreement that ended the Palestinian prisoners’ mass hunger strike on 14 May.

During his hunger strike, Hassan was subjected to severe ill-treatment by Israeli prison authorities when he was held down by prison guards and forcefully given treatment by a prison doctor via an injection in his arm. By the end of his hunger strike, his health had deteriorated significantly and he was in critical condition.

Hassan has been held in administrative detention since 29 June 2011 and this renewal of his detention is a blatant violation of the agreement between the prisoners’ hunger strike committee and Israeli officials. Addameer is concerned that this renewal may cause Hassan to return to open hunger strike, which would put his health at urgent risk. Addameer additionally fears that his extension may indicate even more troubling breaches of the agreement to come, as there is now no guarantee that any of the long-term hunger strikers will be released upon their given dates.

In regards to the implementation of the agreement as a whole, one of the 19 prisoners in long-term isolation, Dirar Abu Sisi, has still not been moved to the general prison population, and an additional prisoner was moved to isolation last week. Furthermore, family visits to prisoners from Gaza have not yet resumed, though one month has passed since the agreement was signed. Addameer has observed no change in Israel’s overall administrative detention policy and fears that these practices will only continue without significant pressure from the international community.