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25 April 2014

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Mass hunger strike launched by interned Palestinians

Some detainees have been incarcerated for over eight years based on ‘secret evidence’ to which neither they nor their lawyers may gain access


A MASS HUNGER STRIKE of Palestinian prisoners, detained without trial, has begun in three Israeli prisons as a protest against the use of administrative detention – internment without charge or trial.

There are currently 183 Palestinians held in administrative detention, including nine members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The number of people interned in this manner has been increasing steadily over the past year. Since the beginning of 2014, Israel has used administrative detention against 142 Palestinians, which includes renewing and extending existing orders.

Some detainees have been incarcerated for over eight years based on ‘secret evidence’ to which neither they nor their lawyers may gain access. 

Today’s hunger strike can be traced back to May 2012 when an agreement was reached between the Israeli Prison Service and representatives of the prisoners which brought an end to a mass hunger strike involving approximately 2,000 political prisoners.

As part of this agreement, Israel agreed to limit its use of administrative detention to only ‘exceptional circumstances’. However, since then, Israel has reneged on the agreement and has continued to use administrative detention on a systematic basis. 

Last year, internee, Samer Isaway, a Palestinian hunger striker died in an Israeli jail following a hunger strike, which lasted over 250 days. In 1981, Bobby Sands died in the Long Kesh Prison after 66 days on hunger strike, followed by nine other Irish hunger strikers. Unlike Irish detainees, Palestinians on hunger strike take water, vitamin K and salt. While this prolongs their life, it also prolongs their suffering.

Adameer (the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Group) has issued a statement demanding that all contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention exert pressure Israel to immediately release all administrative detainees and cease the use of administrative detention.

Furthermore, Addameer calls on global civil society to mobilise without delay in support of the striking detainees and 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners currently being held in Israeli prisons.

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Contributions from key figures in the churches, academia and wider civic society as well as senior republican figures

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