Al-Fassisi enters 50th day of hunger strike as detention renewed

al-fassisiPalestinian administrative detainee Akram al-Fassisi, 30 of Ethna village, west of al-Khalil, is entering his 50th day of open hunger strike in protest of his administrative detention, as his detention has been renewed by occupation authorities for an additional 3 months.

He launched his strike on September 29, 2013 in Ofer prison in protest of the renewal of his administrative detention without charge. He is currently held in the Ramle prison clinic, and has been in administrative detention since November 16, 2012. He was previously detained for a year and a half in Israeli prisons.

He told Palestinian lawyer Hanan al-Khatib that he is continuing his strike in the prison clinic and is refraining from taking vitamins, taking only water and salt. He also said that he is being held in isolation and that his cell is invasively searched and raided 3-4 times weekly. His electronics have been confiscated and he is being denied family visits.

Palestinian lawyer Ahmad Safia reported that Al-Fassisi will have a hearing in Ofer military court on Monday, November 18,
after the Israeli authorities renewed his administrative detention for 3 months.

Al-Fassisi said that he would boycott medical treatment in Ramle clinic because he does not trust the Prison Administration’s doctors, and called for broader action to demand an end to administrative detention.