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Palestinian film highlighting prisoners’ experience wins documentary award at Berlinale

On 18 February 2017, Palestinian director Raed Andoni and the film “Ghost Hunting” won the first documentary prize bestowed at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. The unique film brings together former Palestinian political prisoners to rebuild their former prison and re-enact their experiences of interrogation and torture.

Andoni was himself detained by Israeli occupation forces during the first Intifada. At Qantara.de, Andoni is quoted: “The story begins with my own ghosts…It was a matter of retrieving suppressed emotions that lay hidden in me and in all those who have endured such experiences.” Former prisoners who participated in the film built the set that represented the prisons in which they were held, especially the Moskobiya, the notorious Jerusalem interrogation center, and then acted out the roles of guards and prisoners based on their own experiences of interrogation. A Palestinian psychologist was on hand on the set to speak with and counsel participants.

The film includes key statistics on Palestinian political prisoners, while emphasizing individual narratives of the prison experience. It most closely follows the story of Mohammed Abu Atta Khattab, who appears as himself in the film’s interviews and is played by actor Ramzi Maqdisi in dramatized segments. “If it has any firm take-home message, it shows us how bottling up trauma can he highly damaging, and also how Palestinian prisoners use art, poetry and music to escape inside themselves during the soul-crushing grind of confinement,” wrote the Hollywood Reporter.

The film is the second major production in recent years to draw attention to the struggle of Palestinian prisoners. Mai Masri’s feature film “3000 Nights” was released in 2015 and was Jordan’s 2016 submission for the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film.

Inspired by the real experiences of Palestinian women political prisoners, the well-reviewed film was met with standing ovations in film festivals and continues to be screened internationally. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the audience award at Valladolid’s festival.

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network extends its congratulations to Raed Andoni, Wadee Hanani, Mohammed Abu Atta Khattab and all of the team involved in “Ghost Hunting.” Art and culture have a critical role to play in Palestinian resistance and movement-building on Palestinian, Arab and international levels, and the artistic production of Palestinian prisoners and ex-prisoners is particularly important in this regard. We hope for the widest possible distribution and dissemination of this film and all artistic works that highlight the stories, experiences and lives of Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom.

Take Action: Ofer military court to issue decision in case of Nael Barghouthi on Wednesday

The Israeli military court at Ofer will issue a decision on the case of Nael Barghouthi, the longest-held Palestinian prisoner on Wednesday, 22 February, reported Barghouthi’s wife Iman Nafie in Asra Voice. This decision will come in response to the appeal by the Israeli occupation military prosecution of Barghouthi’s imprisonment for 30 months – a sentence that expired on 17 December 2016.

Barghouthi, 59, has spent 36 years in Israeli prison. Originally serving a life sentence, he was released in 2011 with over 1,000 fellow Palestinian prisoners as part of the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange. In 2014, he was swept up by occupation forces with dozens of fellow former prisoners in an attempt to pressure Palestinian resistance organizations. Under Israeli military order 1651 and in violation of the release agreement, re-arrested former prisoners can have their original sentences reinstated by a military committee on the basis of secret evidence, to which both the Palestinian prisoner and their lawyers are denied access.

While dozens of former prisoners had their full sentences reimposed by this military committee, Barghouthi was sentenced to 30 months in Israeli prison. However, in 2015, his sentence was appealed by the Israeli military prosecution, which seeks to reimpose his life sentence. Since his 30-month sentence expired on 17 December 2016, he and his family have been struggling for his release; instead, however, he has been transferred between prisons on multiple occasions and denied release while the occupation prosecution’s appeal is pending.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association and Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network are joining in this urgent call for action to pressure Israel to release Nael Barghouthi, being held as a political hostage by the Israeli government.

TAKE ACTION:

  1. Sign and share the Change.org petition to urge international officials to take action for Nael Barghouthi’s release: https://www.change.org/p/international-officials-pressure-israel-to-free-nael-barghouthi
  1. Organize a protest, demonstration, speaking event or banner drop in your city, community or campus calling for freedom for Nael Barghouthi and his fellow Palestinian prisoners.
  1. Write to Israeli officials to demand Nael Barghouthi’s release. Write a message and email or fax it to the officials below. Contact information and sample letter follow:

Contact information:

Minister of Defence
Avigdor Liberman
Ministry of Defence
37 Kaplan Street
Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 73 323 3300
Email: minister@mod.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister

Minister of Justice
Ayelet Shaked
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street
Jerusalem, 91010, Israel
Fax: +972 2 640 8402
Email: sar@justice.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Ministe

Attorney General
Avichai Mendelbilt
Ministry of Justice
29 Salah al-Din Street
Jerusalem 91010, Israel
Fax: +972 2 530 3367
Email: ishkat-yoetz@justice.gov.il

Military Judge Advocate General
Brigadier General Sharon Afek
Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel
Fax: +972 3 569 4526
Email: Mag@idf.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Judge Advocate General

Commander of the IOF – West Bank
Major-General Roni Numa
GOC Central Command
Military Post 01149, Battalion 877
Israel Defense Forces, Israel
Fax: +972 2 530 5741+972 2 530 5724
Salutation: Dear Major-General Roni Numa

Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan
Kiryat Hamemshala
PO Box 18182
Jerusalem 91181, Israel
Fax: +972 2 584 7872
Email: gerdan@knesset.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister

Sample Letter:

Dear Ministers,

I write today to demand  immediate release of the longest-held Palestinian prisoner Nael Barghouthi, held for a total of 36 years in Israeli prisons. Nael Barghouthi is being threatened with the re-imposition of his life sentence on the basis of so-called “secret evidence”  by an arbitrary Israeli military committee.

Nael Barghouthi was released with over 1,000 prisoners in the 2011 Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange. In 2014, along with dozens of fellow released prisoners, Barghouthi was re-arrested. Under Israeli military order 1651 – that contravenes the term of the prisoner release – re-arrested prisoners can have their former sentences reimposed upon them by a military committee on the basis of secret evidence.

Barghouthi was originally sentenced to 30 months on the basis of secret evidence, yet the Israeli military continues to pursue him and seek the re-imposition of his life sentence. He has also been denied family visits with his wife on the pretext of “security” as she is a former prisoner.

I demand the immediate release of Nael Barghouthi and an end to the re-imposition of former prisoners’ sentences on the basis of so-called secret information. This is an attempt to use Palestinian former prisoners as political hostages in future prisoner exchanges and to violate the exchange agreement itself. His continued detention is arbitrary and unjust, and I demand his immediate freedom.

Sincerely,

Palestinian prisoners highlighted in two Toulouse events

Photo: Coup Pour Coup 31

Translated from the French: http://www.couppourcoup31.com/2017/02/les-prisonniers-palestiniens-a-l-honneur-a-toulouse.html

The anti-imperialist collective Coup Pour Coup 31 – a member of the Samidoun network – organized two presentations of the book “Des hommes entre les murs” (The men behind the walls), published by Agone editions in Toulouse, France, in the presence of the author.

Photo: Coup Pour Coup 31

On Thursday, 16 February, Assia Zaino presented her book at the Terra Nova bookstore in Toulouse. Around thirty people attended the event, which included a discussion with the author. Canal Sud also recorded the event for a radio program, which will be broadcast on Monday, 27 February.

On Friday, 17 February, the presentation took place at the Centre Social Autogéré as part of the Friday of Solidarity. Over 60 people attended the event and a lively exchange took place between the audience, the author and the Coup Pour Coup collective about the Palestinian prisoners, their organization and their resistance. The book shines a light on the daily existence of this resistance through transcribed testimonies. Coup Pour Coup also discussed the case of Bilal Kayed, ordered to administrative detention after 14 years of imprisonment. He was finally released last December thanks to a hunger strike that was widely supported by Palestinian prisoners and an international solidarity campaign. Coup Pour Coup discussed their collective participation in the Samidoun network as well as the case of Georges Abdallah, imprisoned in France since 1984 and eligible for release since 1999 for his involvement in the Palestinian resistance.

Photo: Coup Pour Coup 31

At the end of the discussion, a postcard was signed and a group photo taken to send to the Tamimi family, who contributed testimonies to the book. The evening at the CSA continued with an event by the Collective Solidarite MigrantEs 31. Coup Pour Coup 31 thanked Terra Nova, the Centre Social Autogéré and Assia Zaino. The book “Des hommes entre les murs” will be available at Coup Pour Coup 31 tables or by mail for 10 Euros.

40 new administrative detention orders issued; al-Qeeq in cell “like a grave” on second week of hunger strike

Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq is on his 14th day of hunger strike against his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention. Imprisoned in isolation in Jalame prison, al-Qeeq told his lawyers on Sunday that his small cell is narrow, “like a grave.”

Al-Qeeq is currently imprisoned under a three-month administrative detention order; he was seized by occupation forces on 15 January as he returned from a demonstration demanding the Israeli occupation release the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israel. After 22 days of interrogation, he was ordered to imprisonment without charge or trial. Al-Qeeq previously won his release from administrative detention in May 2016 with a 94-day hunger strike that drew widespread Palestinian and international attention.

Khaled Zabarqa, al-Qeeq’s lawyer, said that he had finally visited with al-Qeeq after repeated stalling and delays by Israeli intelligence. He noted that al-Qeeq is dizzy and experiencing loss of balance and pain, especially after his previous lengthy hunger strike. In these conditions, occupation prison authorities are also denying the entry of blankets and winter clothing, Zabarqa said, highlighting that these harsh conditions are intended to break al-Qeeq’s hunger strike.

Also on hunger strike for the fourth day are fellow administrative detainees Jamal Abu Leil and Raed Mteir, both of whose detention was renewed for the third consecutive time. Abu Leil, 50, and Mteir, 47, are both longtime Fateh leaders in Qalandiya refugee camp, and are demanding their freedom from administrative detention.

As al-Qeeq, Abu Leil and Mteir continued their strikes for freedom, the Israeli occupation Ofer military court issued 40 administrative detention orders against Palestinian prisoners from 8 to 16 February, reported Palestinian lawyer Mahmoud Halabi on Sunday, 19 February.

Administrative detention orders are used to imprison Palestinians without charge or trial. Issued for one to six month periods, the orders are indefinitely renewable and based on so-called “secret evidence,” to which both Palestinian prisoners and their lawyers are denied access.

There are over 520 Palestinians currently imprisoned without charge or trial under administrative detention among approximately 6,500 total Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. 14 of these orders were newly issued while 26 were renewals of existing administrative detention orders. The Palestinians issued detention orders are:

1. Sadiq Sidqi Khatatba, from Nablus, 4 months, extension
2. Nidal Yacoub Nafie, from Jenin, 3 months, extension
3. Bilal Mohammed Abdel-Aziz, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
4. Musab Fathi Barari, from Ramallah, 6 months, new order
5. Samer Helmi al-Natsheh, from al-Khalil, 3 months, extension
6. Maher Nizar Suweyta, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
7. Nafez Rasmi Shawamreh, from al-Khalil, 6 months, new order
8. Mohammed Salah Jawarish, from Bethlehem, 4 months, renewal
9. Bashar Abdel-Rahman Jabbara, from al-Khalil, 6 months, new order
10. Nael Mahmoud Abu Kweik, from Ramallh, 6 months, renewal
11. Munir Yousef Khaddour, from al-Khalil, 4 months, renewal
12. Muntasser Issa Shadid, from al-Khalil, 6 months, new order
13. Abbas Suleiman Fatayer, from Nablus, 4 months, new order
14. Mohammed Kamil Aqtal, from al-Khalil, 6 months, new order
15. Mohammed Khaaled Abu Sall, from al-Khalil, 6 months, new order
16. Othman Kamil Nakhleh, from Ramallah, 6 months, new order
17. Said Mohammed Abu Badawi, from Jenin, 2 months, new order
18. Haitham Mohammed Ajaj, from Ramallah, 4 months, extension
19. Motassem Mohammed Abdo, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
20. Mohammed Hussein Abu Aida, from Ramallah, 6 months, extension
21. Tawfiq Omar Abu Arqoub, from Ramallah, 4 months, new order
22. Diaa Abdel-Rahim Abu Daoud, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
23. Qasi Ahmed Issa, from Bethlehem, 4 months, new order
24. Yousef Abdel-Aziz Batran, from al-Khalil, 6 months, extension
25. Khaled Aqel al-Haj, Bethlehem, 4 months, extension
26. Maher Nazmi Jaradat, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
27. Fares Ahmad Zahrat, from Ramallah, 6 months, new order
28. Mohammed Mahmoud Sabaaneh, from Jenin, 4 months, extension
29. Tamer Mustafa Abu Dia, from Bethlehem, 6 months, extension
30. Ammar Ibrahim Hmour, from Jenin, 4 months, extension
31. Samer Aziz al-Masri, from Ramallah, 3 months, extension
32. Mohammed Abdallah Atwan, from Bethlehem, 6 months, extension
33. Jihad Wadah Qutob, from Nablus, 6 months, extension
34. Omar Nassif Barghouthi, from Ramallah, 3 months, new order
35. Ali Tawfiq Taqi, from Tulkarem, 4 months, extension
36. Sami Fayez Srahin, from al-Khalil, 4 months, extension
37. Hamza Mahmoud al-Batran, from al-Khalil, 3 months, extension
38. Ayman Khalil Ali, from Bethlehem 5 months, extension
39. Naji Hamdi Abu Khalaf, from al-Khalil, 4 months, new order
40. Ramzi Omar Quwwar, from Bethlehem, 4 months, new order

At London protest, Palestinian father calls on Hewlett-Packard to stop profiting from imprisoned son’s torture

Photo: Inminds

Reprinted from Inminds: https://www.facebook.com/inmindscom/posts/1269243956494564

On Saturday 18th February 2017, Inminds human rights group protested on the Southbank of the river Thames in London to demand the American multi-national Hewlett Packard ( HP / HPE) end its complicity in Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people, in particular end it contracts with the Israeli prison service which is guilty of torturing Palestinian political prisoners, including young children.

Photo: Inminds

Inminds chair Abbas Ali said “The United Nations Rights of the Child reports that Israel abducts, cages, tortures and sexually abuses young Palestinian children in its military prisons. We are here to expose HP’s hidden role in these crimes. They provides the systems and servers that keep these hell holes open. We are also here to demand the immediate release of renowned Palestinian humanitarian Mohammed al-Halabi and British father Fayez Sharary, both of whom have been tortured in HP powered Israeli interrogation centres and are currently languishing in HP powered Israeli prisons.”

Photo: Inminds

In 2014 Mohammed al–Halabi was honoured by the United Nations as its “Humanitarian Hero” for his work with traumatised children in Gaza for the Christian charity World Vision. In June 2016, whilst returning from a World Vision meeting, he was abducted by Israel and severely tortured. In a message read out at the protest, Mohammed’s father Khalail al-Halabi castigated Hewlett Packard’s role in his son’s suffering. “How can the company Hewett Packard be involved in these crimes? Have they no shame, taking advantage of our prisoners? I ask Hewlett Packard to show some humanity and stop profiting from my son’s torture and imprisonment.” He asked for international solidarity for his son’s release “We ask all upholders of peace and justice to stand united alongside us, and to demand Mohammed’s immediate release.”

Photo: Inminds

Laila Sharary, wife of British citizen Fayez Sharary who was abducted and tortured by Israel whilst visiting his elderly parents in Palestine in September 2016, made a passionate plea for her husbands release “I am pleading with the world’s human rights activists to help free my beloved husband, and return him safe and sound to the bosom of his family back here, in London.” She lamented the lack of action by the British government: “While my husband languishes in Ofer prison, the only response I get from the British Consulate in Palestine is that they have no news for me. I urge you treat my husband like you would any other British Citizen.. and make absolutely sure that everything that can be done, is being done to facilitate my husband’s release.”

Photo: Inminds

Inminds chair Abbas Ali concluded “Today’s audience of Londoners and tourists were deeply sympathetic towards the protest, many wishing to donate money, shaking our hands and hugging us to thanks us for exposing Israel’s war crimes and HP’s complicity in them. All vowing to boycott HP. It was an eye opener for people to learn that their friendly printer company has such a dark secret, and they were eager to learn more – over 1200 leaflets were snapped up in two hours, and many people insisted on taking photos of each of our information banners so they could study them at home. We are succeeding at gradually chiselling away at the PR image HP is projecting.”

 

 

Detention extended for Rawan Shyoukhi, sister of former prisoner killed by Israeli occupation forces

The detention of Rawan Shyoukhi, 21, was extended until Monday after she was seized by Israeli occupation forces who raided her family home shortly after midnight in the town of Silwan in Jerusalem on 16 February. Her father and a number of family members were also summoned for interrogation. Shyoukhi is currently held in the notorious Moskobiya interrogation center in Jerusalem.

Rawan Shyoukhi is the sister of Ali Shyoukhi, who was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces on 11 October 2016 as he protested in Silwan. He was left to bleed and denied access to medical care for three hours before his death, despite the presence of Palestinian ambulances and medical crews demanding access.

Ali’s twin brother Mohammed is currently serving a 10-month sentence in Israeli prison; he was arrested after the killing of his brother and sentenced for “incitement on social media.”

Ali himself had been arrested and imprisoned by occupation forces five times before being slain by occupation forces. He was first arrested as a 12-year-old and ordered to one month of house arrests and was most recently arrested in October 2014, serving a 15-month sentence before his release in December 2015. Two days before he was killed by Israeli occupation forces, he was summoned to report for interrogation in Beit Hanina.

Rawan, Ali and Mohammed’s sister Souad was also held without charge or trial under administrative detention for 18 months in 2007, while their brother Fares spent three months in prison and one year in house arrest and their brother Firas spent 27 months in Israeli prison.

Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharabati held in isolation for burning Israeli flag in Gilboa prison yard

Ayman Sharabati and his daughter

Palestinian prisoner Ayman Sharabati continues to be held in solitary confinement after nearly two weeks when he was isolated after he burned an Israeli flag in the prison yard in Gilboa prison, protesting escalating Israeli attacks against Palestinian prisoners.

Sharabati is serving nine life sentences in Israeli prison and has spent over 21 years in Israeli prison; he was convicted of involvement in Palestinian resistance with the military wing of the Fateh movement, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Sharabati has also been fined and denied family visits for two months. He was protesting the large-scale transfer of Palestinian prisoners from prison to prison as well as the invasions of prison sections and ransacking of Palestinian prisoners’ belongings in repeated attacks by repressive units.

Former prisoner Dababseh summoned to interrogation alongside father of two Palestinian youth slain by occupation forces

Former Palestinian prisoner Ihsan Dababseh was summoned to interrogation by Israeli occupation forces on Sunday, 19 February as they stormed her home in the dawn hours. The family home of Dababseh, 30, from Nuba near al-Khalil, was ransacked and their belongings torn apart by invading soldiers.

Dababseh’s father was also ordered to report for interrogation. The raid on Dababseh’s home came as nine people were seized by occupation forces in pre-dawn raids, including Yousef Mahmoud Abdel-Salam, Iyad Mahmoud Taqatqa, Rashad Samih Diriya and Uday Mohammed Thawabteh in Beit Fajar; Faraj Shqeirat, Tayseer Amjad Hamed and Bara Ibrahim Hamed from Silwad; and Ahmed Ali Askar and Ehab Abu Adham from Jerusalem.

Dababseh was released after 21 months in Israeli prison on 10 July 2016; she had been imprisoned since 13 October 2014 on charges of membership in a prohibited organization, in her case the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. She previously spent two years in Israeli prison from 2007 to 2009 on similar charges. All major Palestinian political parties are labeled prohibited organizations by the Israeli occupation. During her imprisonment she had been isolated with four other Palestinian women as punishment for raising the Palestinian flag on the anniversary of the Nakba.

In 2014, Reham Alhelsi reported, “Israeli occupation soldiers raided her house several times, sent her 4 summons and threatened to blow up her house of she didn’t come to interrogation center. She went with her mother to detention center and was detained and her personal computer was confiscated, while her mother told to leave.”

During her prior arrest from 2007 to 2009, the Israeli occupation soldiers who had arrested and blindfolded her made a video of themselves dancing around her as she was blindfolded and held against the wall, which they distributed.

On Saturday, 18 February, Israeli occupation forces stormed the home of Jihad Irshaid, the father of two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, Uday Irshaid and Dania Irshaid, and demanded that he turn himself over for interrogation, as they also invaded the campus library of the Palestine Polytechnic University in al-Khalil, confiscating computers, files and other devices.

Uday Irshaid (left) and Dania Irshaid (right)

Dania Irshaid, 17, was shot dead in an extrajudicial execution by Israeli occupation forces on 26 October 2015 at an occupation border police checkpoint near the Ibrahimi mosque in al-Khalil, accused of having a knife, Dania was shot eight times with live bullets while no occupation forces were injured.  Less than two months later, Dania’s brother Uday Irshaid, 22, was slain by Israeli occupation forces as he participated in a demonstration on 12 December 2015, who fired on Palestinian protesters with live fire.

27 February, Cagliari: Right to Study and Academic Freedom in Palestine

Monday, 27 February
4:00 pm
Faculty of Economic, Juridicial and Policial Sciences – Aula A
Universita di Cagliari
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
Part of Israeli Apartheid Week 2017
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/639264149608949/

Speakers:

Charlotte Kates, International Coordinator, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Angelo Stefanini, School of Economics, Management and Statistics, University of Bologna
Student from Birzeit University, Right to Education Campaign – Palestine

Moderator: Professor Andrea Pubusa, University of Cagliari

>> Lunedì, 27 Febbraio 2017 – ore 16.00
Facoltà di Scienze Economiche, Giuridiche e Politiche – Aula A

Incontro – Dibattito:
“Il diritto allo studio e la libertà accademica in Palestina”

Intervengono:
– Charlotte KATES, Coordinatrice Internazionale Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
– Angelo STEFANINI, Scuola di Economia, Management e Statistica, Università di Bologna
– Studentesse della BIRZEIT University, Right to Education Campaign – Palestine حملة الحق في التعليم

Coordina: Professore Andrea PUBUSA (Università di Cagliari)

Two more Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike as al-Qeeq’s health deteriorates

Mohammed al-Qeeq’s health is deteriorating as he nears two weeks on hunger strike. The imprisoned Palestinian journalist has been refusing food for 13 days to demand his freedom from administrative detention, Israeli imprisonment without charge or trial. Al-Qeeq’s lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, noted that his health is more fragile due to his 94-day hunger strike conducted last year when he was previously imprisoned by Israel under administrative detention, securing his freedom in May 2016. He is held in isolation in Jalama prison.

Al-Qeeq was rearrested by Israeli occupation forces on 16 January as he returned home from a demonstration in Bethlehem demanding the return of the bodies of Palestinians killed by occupation forces. He was held in interrogation and ill-treated for 22 days before being ordered to administrative detention.

Al-Qeeq was joined by two more Palestinian prisoners who launched a hunger strike on Thursday, 16 February against their own administrative detention without charge or trial. Jamal Abu Leil and Raed Mteir launched their hunger strike after both of their detention orders were renewed for the third time. Abu Leil, a former member of Fateh’s Revolutionary Council, was first seized by Israeli occupation forces on 14 February 2016, while Mteir, head of the Qalandiya Youth Center, was seized on 17 February 2016. Both have been issued six-month administrative detention orders for three consecutive times and are from the Qalandiya refugee camp.  Both are held in the Negev desert prison.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate issued a statement on Thursday declaring that the targeting of al-Qeeq is an example of the continued clear targeting of journalists for imprisonment and repression by the occupation. It further noted that Zabarqa said that al-Qeeq cannot get out of bed due to deterioration of his health or come to the visiting room; when he inquired about why al-Qeeq was not taken to hospital, he was told this was a decision of the prison infirmary and was then denied permission to visit al-Qeeq in his isolation room.

Nasser Abu Bakr, president of the PJS, called upon all institutions to take action to save al-Qeeq, facing the violation of his freedoms in accordance with a racist policy meant to break the will of Palestinian journalists.

The PJS also denounced the arrest of Hammam Mohammed Hantash, a Palestinian journalist from Dura near al-Khalil, and called on international institutions and the International Federation of Journalists to call for his release and that of all Palestinian journalists in Israeli jails.

Al-Qeeq, Abu Leil and Mteir are among over 520 Palestinians held without charge or trial under administrative detention, and 7,000 total Palestinian prisoners. Administrative detention orders are indefinitely renewable and Palestinians can be held for years at a time without charge or trial.