Palestinian hunger strikers Adib Mafarjah and Fouad Assi, on their 45th day of hunger strike, are now being held in Barzilai Hospital in the same room, reported Palestinian lawyer Ashraf Abu Sneineh. This is the first time throughout the strike that Mafarjah and Assi, who launched their strike against Israeli administrative detention without charge or trial on 3 April, have been held in the same place.
Mafarjah has been imprisoned without charge or trial since 10 December 2014, while Assi has been imprisoned since 9 August 2015. Both are demanding their freedom and an end to the system of administrative detention in which 750 Palestinians are currently held. Previous prominent hunger strikers, like Mohammed al-Qeeq, Khader Adnan, Muhammad Allan, Nidal Abu Aker and Ghassan Zawahra have also been imprisoned without charge or trial under administrative detention. The practice violates international law and has been widely internationally condemned, most recently by the United Nations Committee Against Torture.
Abu Sneineh also reported that an Israeli Supreme Court hearing will consider Mafarjah’s appeal on 1 June. Both Assi and Mafarjah are from Beit Liqiya near Ramallah.
