Bilal Diab on 16th day of hunger strike, ordered to six months in administrative detention

Bilal Diab, Photo via Asra Voice

Palestinian prisoner Bilal Diab, 32, former long-term hunger striker currently engaged in a hunger strike since his seizure by occupation forces on 14 July, has been ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial. Israeli occupation authorities issued a six month administrative detention order against Diab on Tuesday, 25 July.

Administrative detention orders are indefinitely renewable; some Palestinians have spent years at a time imprisoned without charge or trial. Diab, who previously went on hunger strike for 78 days against his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention in 2012, winning his release, launched his new strike specifically in protest of this practice.

There are nearly 500 Palestinians imprisoned without charge or trial – out of over 6,200 Palestinian prisoners in total – under administrative detention orders.

Diab has continued his strike and is now on his 16th day, demanding his release drom administrative detention. Muhja al-Quds Foundation reported that he is held in solitary confinement and has lost 7 kilograms (15 pounds) since he launched his strike.

Waed al-Haq al-Hadmi, photo via Asra Voice

On Thursday, 27 July, the mother of Waed al-Haq al-Hadmi, 28, from the town of Surif near al-Khalil, announced that her son had also launched an open hunger strike immediately after his seizure by Israeli occupation forces, who ransacked the family home. Al-Hadmi’s wedding is scheduled in two weeks; he has spent 6 and one-half years in Israeli jails in previous imprisonments.