The three Palestinian hunger strikers, Mahmoud al-Balboul, Mohammed al-Balboul and Malik al-Qadi, have ended their hunger strike today, 21 September in an agreement securing their release and the non-renewal of their administrative detention, announced Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Commission chair Issa Qaraqe.
Mahmoud al-Balboul and Mohammed al-Balboul, brothers, have been on hunger strike since 4 July and 7 July, respectively. Both were ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial after a pre-dawn armed raid on their home on 9 July. In the agreement, the two will be released on 8 December 2016, at the expiration of their detention period; their detention will not be renewed.
Malik al-Qadi, a journalism student at Al-Quds University, launched his hunger strike on 16 July. He was arrested by Israeli occupation forces on 23 May and ordered to four months in administrative detention without charge or trial. This arrest came only weeks after his release from a previous four months of imprisonment without charge or trial, from December 2015 to April 2016. In the agreement, he will be released on 22 September 2016, at the expiration of his administrative detention, which will not be renewed.
Mahmoud al-Balboul, a student who works with the Palestinian police and Mohammed al-Balboul, a dentist, are the brothers of Nuran al-Balboul, a 15-year-old girl imprisoned for three months by the Israeli occupation earlier this year and the sons of Ahmad al-Balboul, a Fateh leader assassinated by Israeli occupation forces in 2008. Al-Qadi, a journalism student, has had his education repeatedly delayed as a result of harassment by occupation forces. He is one of dozens of Palestinian journalists imprisoned by Israel. He emerged from a coma on Sunday and was subjet to forced treatment during his unconsciousness. All three have suffered serious impacts to their health well into their third month of hunger strike, including threats to their hearts and other major organs, vision damage and other lasting health impacts.
All three are among nearly 750 Palestinians imprisoned without charge or trial under administrative detention, and 7000 total Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. Over 100 fellow Palestinian prisoners joined the three in protests and hunger strikes to support their strike for freedom.
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network salutes the courage, strength and steadfastness of Mahmoud al-Balboul, Mohammed al-Balboul and Malik al-Qadi, and congratulates them upon their coming freedom. We urge all international supporters of Palestinian freedom to continue to highlight the struggles and escalate support for the Palestinian prisoners, battling daily for freedom, justice and liberation, for the prisoners and for the Palestinian people.
