Palestinian leftist, parliamentarian and political prisoners’ advocate Khalida Jarrar faced an Israeli military court again on Sunday, 20 September for a hearing that was again postponed, this time until 12 October.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association – Jarrar’s lawyers, as well as the organization of which Jarrar serves as vice-chair and formerly executive director – reported on the Ofer military court hearing. The Israeli military prosecution failed to secure the participation of witnesses, only presenting one witness forcibly compelled to testify as he is held in Israeli prison.

Addameer reported that this witness – a Palestinian political prisoner – denied all allegations against Jarrar, and that “As a result the military prosecution declared him a hostile witness and the military court approved their request. The military prosecution further requested the court to issue arrest warrants for the witnesses who did not attend so they would be in custody during the next hearing.”

The military prosecution declared the witnesses they presented at Jarrar’s last hearing – again, Palestinian political prisoners – to be “hostile” as well, after they stated their confessions against Jarrar were obtained through torture.

Jarrar, 52, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Abu Ali Mustafa Bloc, a prominent leftist, feminist and advocate for Palestinian prisoners, was arrested by the Israeli occupation military in her home on 2 April. This arrest came following her rejection – and defeat – of an attempt to forcibly displace her from her Ramallah home to Jericho by the Israeli military in August 2014. Jarrar was initially held under administrative detention without charge or trial; following an international outcry, she was then charged in an Israeli military court with 12 charges, all of which are entirely political in nature and many of which directly pertain to her advocacy to free Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes Khalida Jarrar and urges her immediate freedom. The solidarity and outrage from around the world, alongside her steadfastness, forced the cancellation of her administrative detention and of the forced displacement order; now it is time to step up the struggle to win her freedom and keep protesting and organizing.