Al-Awda, The Palestine Right To Return Coalition calls on all people of
conscience to take immediate action to help save the lives of Palestinian
political prisoners who have been detained by Israeli authorities without
any charge whatsoever, and eight of whom are on open ended hunger strike,
some at the point where death could come at any moment. The Israeli
occupation continue to detain Palestinians under the Emergency Law of 1945,
which was in force during the British Mandate of Palestine and allows
the Zionist authorities to detain Palestinians without trial or providing
reason, and to repeatedly extend the term of detention. The Israeli
authorities have also ratified the Unlawful Combatant Law of 2000, which
allows the occupation state to detain Palestinians without charge or
disclosure of the term of detention.
There are currently 320 Palestinian administrative detainees of whom eight
are on open-ended hunger strike, and have been identified by Addameer, the
Palestinian Prisoners Association and Al-Mezan as follows:
1. Mahmoud Kamel Mohammed As-Sersik, 25, from the Ash-Shaboura neighborhood
in Rafah, was arrested by the IOF on 22 July 2009 while on his way to join
the Balatta Youth Sports Club. As-Sersik is a member of the Palestinian
national soccer team. On 23 August 2009, the IOF extended his detention
under Israel's Unlawful Combatant Law. No evidence was provided in
justification of his detention, and the term of detention was not specified.
He has been on hunger strike for 21 consecutive days in protest against the
continuation of his detention without charge or trial. On 8 April 2012, he
was transferred from Negev prison to solitary confinement in Eshel prison in
Beer Sheva.
2. Thaer 'Aziz Mahmoud Halahla, 33, from Kharas village in Hebron district
in the West Bank, was arrested in his home on 27 June 2010. On 5 March 2012,
his term of administrative detention was extended for six months. He has now
been on hunger strike for 44 consecutive days in protest against his
detention without trial. On 28 March 2012, he was referred to the Ar-Ramla
prison hospital due to the deterioration of his health.
3. Belal Nabil Sa'eed Diyab, 27, from Kafer Ra'i village in Jenin district
in the West Bank, was arrested on 17 August 2011. On 14 February 2012, his
term of administrative detention was extended for six months. He has now
been on hunger strike for 45 consecutive days in protest against his
detention without trial. On 28 March 2012, he was referred to the Ar-Ramla
prison hospital due to his deteriorating state of health.
4. Ja'far Ibrahim Mohammed Eiz Ad-Din, 41, from 'Arraba village in Jenin,
was arrested by the IOF on 21 March 2012. On the same day, he was placed
under an order of administrative detention for a term of six months. He is
now on hunger strike for the 22nd consecutive day in protest against his
detention without charge. On 28 March 2012, he was transferred from Megiddo
prison to solitary confinement in Al Jalama prison. His family reports that
they have received information that he has since been transferred to
Ar-Ramla prison hospital.
5. Ahmed Nabhan Da'san Saqer, 48, from 'Asskar refugee camp in Nablus, was
arrested on 20 November 2008. On 24 January 2012, his term of administrative
detention was again extended for a period of four months. He is now on
hunger strike for the 31st consecutive day in protest against his detention
without charge. He is being held in Shata prison.
6. Mohammed Rafeq Kamel At-Taj, 40, from Toubas in Nablus district, was
arrested in his home on 19 November 2003. He was sentenced to 16 years'
imprisonment. He has now been on hunger strike for 29 consecutive days.
7. Hasan Zahi As-Safadi, 34, from Ein Al Maa' refugee camp in Nablus, was
detained on 29 June 2011. On 29 January 2012, his term of administrative
detention was extended for another four months. He is now on hunger strike
for the 39th consecutive day. On 6 April 2012, he was referred to the prison
hospital in Ar-Ramla due to the deterioration of his health.
8. Omar Mousa Mesleh Shalaeil, 45, from Nablus, was detained on 15 August
2011 while he was on his way to perform the 'Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca.
On 15 February 2012, his administrative detention was extended for another
six months. He is now on hunger strike for the 41st consecutive day. On 4
April 2012, he was referred to the prison hospital in Ar-Ramla due to his
deteriorating state of health.
ACT NOW!
Please join the voices around the world to help save the lives of the eight
political detainees on hunger strike and demand the immediate release of
all the 320 administrative detainees!
Write to President Obama to demand that the US
administration intervene for the immediate release of all 320 Palestinian
administrative detainees and to save the lives of the eight on open ended
hunger strike. You can use the online form at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
Call US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: (202) 647-4000 or Office of Near
East Affairs: (202) 647-7209. Demand that the Secretary intervene for the
immediate release of all 320 administrative detainees and save the lives of
the eight who are on open ended hunger strike.
Organize rallies. Palestinian Political Prisones Day is April 17.
Help spread awareness through social media and call all your contacts to act
after you take action yourself!
Until Return,
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
PO Box 131352
Carlsbad, CA 92013, USA
Tel: 760-918-9441
Fax: 760-918-9442
E-mail: info@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org
Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is the largest
network of grassroots activists and students dedicated to Palestinian human
rights. We are a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable
501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of
the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC
are tax-deductible. To donate, please go to
http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the instructions. To become a
member, go to http://al-awda.org/membership.html
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