News / Palestine

520 Palestinians under Israel’s administrative detention: Report

Tuesday, 08 December 2015 11:17 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 December 2015 9:35 AM ]

This file photo shows Palestinian prisoners at the Megiddo Prison in Israel.

Israel is holding some 520 Palestinians under the so-called administrative detention, which has given Tel Aviv’s officials the right to keep Palestinians behind bars without charge or trial for months or even years.

Head of the Palestinian Authority’s Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Qaraqe said five children and two members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) are among the administrative detainees.

He identified the Palestinian legislators as Muhammad Jamal al-Natshah and Hassan Yousef.

Israeli authorities have imprisoned Yousef on multiple occasions in the past. The last time he was released from the Israeli custody was in June after he spent a year without trial or charge.

Qaraqe termed the practice of administrative detention an “illegal and unfair policy” that violates the international law.

Addressing the Security Council on August 19, UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman said the United Nations has consistently opposed the “use of prolonged administrative detention.”

He added that such actions are “incompatible with international human rights standards.”

Palestinians in Israeli jails regularly go on hunger strike in protest to both the unfair administrative detention policy and the harsh prison conditions in Israeli jails.

More than 7,000 Palestinians are reportedly incarcerated in 17 Israeli prisons and detention centers.

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