Israel releases al-Akhras after months of hunger strike
Mona Kandil
Press TV, Ramallah
After a long hunger strike going beyond 100 days to protest against his detention without charge or trial, Palestinian prisoner Maher al-Akhras has been finally freed.
The Israeli authorities released al-Akhras from the Israeli hospital of Kaplan where he was held for subsequent worsening of his health condition. He arrived at al-Najah Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus following his release by Israeli authorities.
After final medical examinations he was moved to his hometown Silat ad-Daher south of the occupied West Bank. In a press statement, al-Akhras thanked the Palestinian people for the solidarity actions and insisted that gaining rights and liberty are only achieved through fighting.
Israel arrested al-Akhras in July over accusations of being a prominent member of the Jihad resistance group, which he denied. He immediately started his hunger strike demanding that he should either be prosecuted for clear charges or be released. Israel at first refused to deal with his demands, but when he was at the verge of death, the Israeli High Court ruled that if al-Akhras ended his hunger strike, his administrative detention would not be renewed upon its expiration on sixth of November.
Prominent figures who rushed to welcome al-Akhras praised his encouragement in what they described as defeating the occupation’s authorities.
Administrative detention involves no indictment, no revelation of confidential evidence and no trial or judgment of the accusations against the prisoner. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are languishing in Israel's jails without charge or trial under the illegal so-called administrative detention. The inmates say their hunger strike is a bid to have their voice heard and to force the Israeli regime to end this illegal policy.
Reports say more than 7,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails.
Maher al-Akhras has achieved victory after his hunger strike and is free today, and his battle definitely gives other Palestinian prisoners held under administrative detention a glimmer of hope, enabling them to go on with their actions and their fight for justice that aim to get back their rights in Israeli jails.
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