Solidarity

I attended a meeting in the UNDP office today, Outside the office, a solidarity tent has been set up to raise awareness of the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, particularly those who are currently on hunger strike.

One of the hunger strikers, Samer Issawi, has been on partial hunger strike since 1 August 2012. This has had severe consequences for his long-term health, and there are serious concerns that he will die.

Issawi was among 1,027 jailed Palestinians freed by Israel in 2011 in exchange for Gilad Shalit, a soldier who was abducted on the Gaza border. He had been in prison since 2002, convicted of possession of weapons and forming military groups in Jerusalem.

Issawi was arrested again in 2012 and is being held under the procedure of administrative detention. This means that neither Issawi nor his lawyer have been informed of the charges against him or of the evidence that is being considered by the courts (if any exists).

The periods of administrative detention last six months and the Israeli courts can renew the order indefinitely. In January, there were some 178 administrative detainees in Israeli jails in January, according to prisoner rights group Addameer.

UPDATE:

On 16 February, Issawi sent a letter from prison, pledging to continue his hunger strike until the last. He has since been transferred to hospital.

On 21 February, the magistrates court in Jerusalem sentenced Issawi for leaving Jerusalem, in violation of the terms of his amnesty granted in the prisoner exchange deal. The sentence will be applied retroactively so he should be released on 6 March.

However, Issawi also faces a possible sentence under an Israeli military order which allows a special military committee to cancel prisoners' amnesty. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to serve the remaining 20 years of his original 30 year sentence.