13 june 2017
Three prominent Palestinian activists were ordered to additional periods of administrative detention, imprisonment without charge or trial. Palestinian journalist Hasan Safadi, youth organizer Hassan Karajah and leftist community leader Rami Fadayel, all of Ramallah, were ordered to further imprisonment without charge or trial by Israeli military courts.
Fadayel, 37, has been imprisoned for 18 months under administrative detention; this is the fourth time the order against him has been renewed. He has spent over seven years in total in Israeli prisons and was ordered to another four months of imprisonment without charge or trial. He was hit with another four-month detention order on Wednesday, 7 June.
Fadayel, 37, has been imprisoned for 18 months under administrative detention; this is the fourth time the order against him has been renewed. He has spent over seven years in total in Israeli prisons and was ordered to another four months of imprisonment without charge or trial. He was hit with another four-month detention order on Wednesday, 7 June.
Rami Fadayel
Haneen Nassar, Fadayel’s wife and an organizer with the Palestinian Prisoners’ Committee, a popular organization in Palestine that works to support the prisoners’ struggle and demand their freedom, said that she and her husband have never been able to enjoy a free and safe life since their marriage. Fadayel has been arrested repeatedly; they marked their engagement while he was imprisoned. She noted that their daughter, Mays, 10, has not seen her father in their home for nearly half of her life.
Fadayel is well-known in Ramallah as a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian leftist political party. Nasser noted that his administrative detention has been repeatedly renewed under the pretext of a “secret file;” all of the appeals of his lawyer have been rejected.
Palestinians held without charge or trial under administrative detention orders can be detained indefinitely; these one- to six-month orders can be repeatedly renewed on the basis of so-called “secret evidence.” There are currently over 500 Palestinian administrative detainees imprisoned by the Israeli occupation. Some Palestinians have spent years at a time under administrative detention on the basis of this so-called secret evidence.
Over 50,000 administrative detention orders have reportedly been issued since 1967; the practice dates from the colonial British mandate over Palestine and was re-imposed by the Israeli occupation.
Haneen Nassar, Fadayel’s wife and an organizer with the Palestinian Prisoners’ Committee, a popular organization in Palestine that works to support the prisoners’ struggle and demand their freedom, said that she and her husband have never been able to enjoy a free and safe life since their marriage. Fadayel has been arrested repeatedly; they marked their engagement while he was imprisoned. She noted that their daughter, Mays, 10, has not seen her father in their home for nearly half of her life.
Fadayel is well-known in Ramallah as a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian leftist political party. Nasser noted that his administrative detention has been repeatedly renewed under the pretext of a “secret file;” all of the appeals of his lawyer have been rejected.
Palestinians held without charge or trial under administrative detention orders can be detained indefinitely; these one- to six-month orders can be repeatedly renewed on the basis of so-called “secret evidence.” There are currently over 500 Palestinian administrative detainees imprisoned by the Israeli occupation. Some Palestinians have spent years at a time under administrative detention on the basis of this so-called secret evidence.
Over 50,000 administrative detention orders have reportedly been issued since 1967; the practice dates from the colonial British mandate over Palestine and was re-imposed by the Israeli occupation.
Hasan Safadi
Meanwhile, Hasan Safadi, Palestinian journalist and the Arabic media coordinator of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association was also ordered on 8 June 2017 to another six months in administrative detention by an Israeli occupation military court. He had been scheduled for release on 8 June, but was instead hit with another arbitrary detention renewal.
Safadi, 26, has been imprisoned since 1 May 2016, when he was seized by Israeli occupation forces as he crossed the Karameh/Allenby bridge between Jordan and Palestine, returning from an Arab youth conference organized in Tunisia. After 40 days of interrogation in the Moskobiyeh interrogation center, he was ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial, which has since been renewed twice. His new administrative detention order is scheduled to expire on 8 December 2017.
Meanwhile, Hasan Safadi, Palestinian journalist and the Arabic media coordinator of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association was also ordered on 8 June 2017 to another six months in administrative detention by an Israeli occupation military court. He had been scheduled for release on 8 June, but was instead hit with another arbitrary detention renewal.
Safadi, 26, has been imprisoned since 1 May 2016, when he was seized by Israeli occupation forces as he crossed the Karameh/Allenby bridge between Jordan and Palestine, returning from an Arab youth conference organized in Tunisia. After 40 days of interrogation in the Moskobiyeh interrogation center, he was ordered to administrative detention without charge or trial, which has since been renewed twice. His new administrative detention order is scheduled to expire on 8 December 2017.
Hassan Karajah
Hassan Karajah, a prominent youth activist with the Stop the Wall Campaign and a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) activist, was seized by Israeli occupation forces on 12 July 2016 at a military checkpoint west of Ramallah. He has been held under administrative detention without charge or trial since that time; his detention was also renewed on 7 June 2017 for the third time for a four-month period.
Karajah was previously arrested on 23 January 2013 and freed on 19 October 2014, accused of participation in a prohibited organization and contact with an enemy state, an allegation frequently used to target Palestinians who travel to conferences and events in Lebanon and other Arab countries.
These orders came after the Ofer military court confirmed even more administrative detention orders on Wednesday, 7 July. The military court approved six-month detention orders against Raed Abd al-Admu of al-Khalil, Tayseer Maher Hamed, Mohammed Badr al-Alouneh, Islam Fayeq Nimer of Ramallah and Suhaib Ahmed Mohammed of Tulkarem.
It approved four-month imprisonment orders against Nidal Hashim Abdel Hadi and Yousef Ahmed Nasser of Jenin and Khalil Hassan Hamed, Ayman Naim Hamed, Hamza Ibrahim Zahran and Omar Mohammed Abu Latifa of Ramallah. It also affirmed a two-month detention order against Rabie Mohammed Musallah of Jenin.
Via the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network.
Hassan Karajah, a prominent youth activist with the Stop the Wall Campaign and a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) activist, was seized by Israeli occupation forces on 12 July 2016 at a military checkpoint west of Ramallah. He has been held under administrative detention without charge or trial since that time; his detention was also renewed on 7 June 2017 for the third time for a four-month period.
Karajah was previously arrested on 23 January 2013 and freed on 19 October 2014, accused of participation in a prohibited organization and contact with an enemy state, an allegation frequently used to target Palestinians who travel to conferences and events in Lebanon and other Arab countries.
These orders came after the Ofer military court confirmed even more administrative detention orders on Wednesday, 7 July. The military court approved six-month detention orders against Raed Abd al-Admu of al-Khalil, Tayseer Maher Hamed, Mohammed Badr al-Alouneh, Islam Fayeq Nimer of Ramallah and Suhaib Ahmed Mohammed of Tulkarem.
It approved four-month imprisonment orders against Nidal Hashim Abdel Hadi and Yousef Ahmed Nasser of Jenin and Khalil Hassan Hamed, Ayman Naim Hamed, Hamza Ibrahim Zahran and Omar Mohammed Abu Latifa of Ramallah. It also affirmed a two-month detention order against Rabie Mohammed Musallah of Jenin.
Via the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network.
8 june 2017
The lawyer of detained journalist Mohamed al-Qiq was able to clinch a deal that would lead to his release in six months from an Israeli jail.
Israeli prosecutors had threatened to extract a court verdict sentencing Qiq to over two years in prison on allegations of inciting against Israel during his participation in a ceremony held by Hamas at Birzeit University near Ramallah last December.
Last May, an Israeli court rejected an appeal filed against the continued detention of prisoner Qiq.
Mohamed al-Qiq was kidnapped on January 15 by Israeli soldiers at Beit El military checkpoint, north of al-Bireh city.
Israeli prosecutors had threatened to extract a court verdict sentencing Qiq to over two years in prison on allegations of inciting against Israel during his participation in a ceremony held by Hamas at Birzeit University near Ramallah last December.
Last May, an Israeli court rejected an appeal filed against the continued detention of prisoner Qiq.
Mohamed al-Qiq was kidnapped on January 15 by Israeli soldiers at Beit El military checkpoint, north of al-Bireh city.
25 may 2017
A report released by The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) concludes that Israel has violated press and media freedom 33 times during the month of April.
According to a PNN report, April of 2017 witnessed a slight decrease in the total number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine compared to a staggering number of violations recorded in March, which came in at 51 violations. Still, violations in the month of April were above the general average.
The decrease came as a result of a lower number of Palestinian violations, whereas Israeli violations remained at the same high rate reached during March.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA” monitored a total of 41 violations in April that included 33 committed by Israeli forces and 8 by Palestinian parties, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces committed a total of 33 attacks against media freedom (more than 80% of all violations recorded this month).
The most prominent of these violations was the closure of four libraries in Hebron and Nablus, following the raid and confiscation of some of their contents, under the pretext of “incitement”.
Palestine TV reporter Anaal Bassem al Jadaa was injured with a gas canister, fired by an Israeli soldier, while covering a demonstration against settlement in Kafr-Qaddum village.
Palestine TV cameraman Bashar Mahmud Nazzal was shot in the leg, with a rubber-coated metal bullet, while covering the same demonstration.
An attack on WAFA News Agency photographer Mashhour Hasan, in Hebron, and the destruction of his camera while covering events in the city, was yet another incident.
Additionally, April saw the renewal of the administrative detention of journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, only 10 days before his date of release. Israeli occupation forces brutally attacked around 14 journalists, in Jerusalem, while they were covering a peaceful demonstration in the city.
According to a PNN report, April of 2017 witnessed a slight decrease in the total number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine compared to a staggering number of violations recorded in March, which came in at 51 violations. Still, violations in the month of April were above the general average.
The decrease came as a result of a lower number of Palestinian violations, whereas Israeli violations remained at the same high rate reached during March.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA” monitored a total of 41 violations in April that included 33 committed by Israeli forces and 8 by Palestinian parties, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces committed a total of 33 attacks against media freedom (more than 80% of all violations recorded this month).
The most prominent of these violations was the closure of four libraries in Hebron and Nablus, following the raid and confiscation of some of their contents, under the pretext of “incitement”.
Palestine TV reporter Anaal Bassem al Jadaa was injured with a gas canister, fired by an Israeli soldier, while covering a demonstration against settlement in Kafr-Qaddum village.
Palestine TV cameraman Bashar Mahmud Nazzal was shot in the leg, with a rubber-coated metal bullet, while covering the same demonstration.
An attack on WAFA News Agency photographer Mashhour Hasan, in Hebron, and the destruction of his camera while covering events in the city, was yet another incident.
Additionally, April saw the renewal of the administrative detention of journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq, only 10 days before his date of release. Israeli occupation forces brutally attacked around 14 journalists, in Jerusalem, while they were covering a peaceful demonstration in the city.
18 may 2017
Mutaz Bani Shamseh 23
A Palestinian young man was killed and a journalist was injured in a shooting attack carried out on Thursday by a Jewish settler.
The attack took place during clashes that erupted in a solidarity march with the hunger striking prisoners in Israeli jails on Huwara street south of Nablus city.
Palestinian Health Ministry identified the martyr as Mutaz Bani Shamseh, 23, from Beita town east of Nablus. The wounded journalist was also identified as Majdi Eshtaiyeh, an AP cameraman. He was shot in the hand while covering the event.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that a Jewish settler approached the marchers, opened his gunfire directly at the young man and shot him in the head. He shortly died after the shooting, they said.
A Palestinian young man was killed and a journalist was injured in a shooting attack carried out on Thursday by a Jewish settler.
The attack took place during clashes that erupted in a solidarity march with the hunger striking prisoners in Israeli jails on Huwara street south of Nablus city.
Palestinian Health Ministry identified the martyr as Mutaz Bani Shamseh, 23, from Beita town east of Nablus. The wounded journalist was also identified as Majdi Eshtaiyeh, an AP cameraman. He was shot in the hand while covering the event.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that a Jewish settler approached the marchers, opened his gunfire directly at the young man and shot him in the head. He shortly died after the shooting, they said.
17 may 2017
Israeli soldiers and security officers attacked, Wednesday, nonviolent Palestinian protesters, and journalists, in the courtyard if the International Red Cross center in occupied East Jerusalem, injured one Palestinian, and abducted three others.
The head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) in Jerusalem, Nasser Qous, said the soldiers invaded the yard of the Red Cross and abducted Ahmad Safadi, Mohammad Daqqaq, and Kayed Rajabi.
The soldiers also assaulted a young man, identified as Areen Za’anin, causing various cuts and bruises, before Palestinian medics moved him to a hospital for treatment.
Qous added that the soldiers, and several security officers, attack the nonviolent protesters, including elders, in the courtyard of the Red Cross.
Qous also stated that Israel wants to silence all voices expressed in solidarity with the hunger striking Palestinian detainees in Israeli prison.
On his part, Amjad Abu ‘Assab, who heads the Jerusalem committee for prisoners’ families, said the soldiers videotaped the protesters and surrounded the Red Cross before assaulting the Palestinians, just as they were leaving it.
Abu ‘Assab added that the Israeli escalation and violations will never be able to stop the solidarity activities and protests in support of the detainees, who are asking for basic rights, guaranteed by International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and all related treaties.
The head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) in Jerusalem, Nasser Qous, said the soldiers invaded the yard of the Red Cross and abducted Ahmad Safadi, Mohammad Daqqaq, and Kayed Rajabi.
The soldiers also assaulted a young man, identified as Areen Za’anin, causing various cuts and bruises, before Palestinian medics moved him to a hospital for treatment.
Qous added that the soldiers, and several security officers, attack the nonviolent protesters, including elders, in the courtyard of the Red Cross.
Qous also stated that Israel wants to silence all voices expressed in solidarity with the hunger striking Palestinian detainees in Israeli prison.
On his part, Amjad Abu ‘Assab, who heads the Jerusalem committee for prisoners’ families, said the soldiers videotaped the protesters and surrounded the Red Cross before assaulting the Palestinians, just as they were leaving it.
Abu ‘Assab added that the Israeli escalation and violations will never be able to stop the solidarity activities and protests in support of the detainees, who are asking for basic rights, guaranteed by International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and all related treaties.
5 may 2017
Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the weekly protest in Kufur Qaddoum town, east of the northern West Bank governorate of Qalqilia, shot and injured three Palestinians, including a teenager and a photojournalist, while many suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
The Popular Committee in Kufur Qaddoum said the soldiers assaulted the weekly procession in the town, and fired many rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs and concussion grenades, while Local youngsters hurled stones and empty bottles on the invading army vehicles.
It stated that the soldiers shout Nidal Eshteyya, a Palestinian photojournalist working for a Chinese news agency, with a gas bomb in his back.
The committee also said that a child, identified as Sobhi Obeid, 16, was shot with a gas bomb in the head, while a young man with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his leg, and six youngsters suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation.
Morad Eshteiwy, the media coordinator of the Popular Committee in Kufur Qaddoum, said the protesters marched carrying flags and signs in solidarity with the hunger striking detainees in Israeli prisons.
Kufur Qaddoum holds weekly protests against the Annexation Wall, also demanding the army to reopen the town’s main road that was closed 14 years ago, to enable faster and easier access to colonialist settlers, driving to and from Kedumim illegal colony, built on private Palestinian lands.
The Popular Committee in Kufur Qaddoum said the soldiers assaulted the weekly procession in the town, and fired many rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs and concussion grenades, while Local youngsters hurled stones and empty bottles on the invading army vehicles.
It stated that the soldiers shout Nidal Eshteyya, a Palestinian photojournalist working for a Chinese news agency, with a gas bomb in his back.
The committee also said that a child, identified as Sobhi Obeid, 16, was shot with a gas bomb in the head, while a young man with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his leg, and six youngsters suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation.
Morad Eshteiwy, the media coordinator of the Popular Committee in Kufur Qaddoum, said the protesters marched carrying flags and signs in solidarity with the hunger striking detainees in Israeli prisons.
Kufur Qaddoum holds weekly protests against the Annexation Wall, also demanding the army to reopen the town’s main road that was closed 14 years ago, to enable faster and easier access to colonialist settlers, driving to and from Kedumim illegal colony, built on private Palestinian lands.
4 may 2017
A number of Palestinian activists and journalists were injured on Thursday after Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) quelled a peaceful march that was organized by Islamic and national factions in Bethlehem city.
The PIC reporter said that the march was organized in solidarity with hunger striking detainees in Israeli jails. The marchers also asks for returning the bodies of martyrs detained by Israeli authorities.
Scores of activists and citizens participated in the event and carried Palestinians flags along with photos of prisoners and martyrs. They chanted slogans in support of the hunger striking detainees.
IOF soldiers showered the participants with tear gas and sound grenades. A number of journalists, including Abdul Hafith al-Hashlamoun, Iyyad Hamad, and Safiya Kuwar, were injured with shrapnel.
The PIC reporter said that the march was organized in solidarity with hunger striking detainees in Israeli jails. The marchers also asks for returning the bodies of martyrs detained by Israeli authorities.
Scores of activists and citizens participated in the event and carried Palestinians flags along with photos of prisoners and martyrs. They chanted slogans in support of the hunger striking detainees.
IOF soldiers showered the participants with tear gas and sound grenades. A number of journalists, including Abdul Hafith al-Hashlamoun, Iyyad Hamad, and Safiya Kuwar, were injured with shrapnel.
3 may 2017
On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers used excessive force against Palestinian journalists, marching in solidarity with the hunger striking detainees, and imprisoned journalists, near the Ofer Israeli prison, in Ramallah governorate of the occupied West Bank.
The journalists were expressing their support to the striking detainees, demanding basic rights, and also demanding the release of 28 journalists, who are still held captive by Israel.
The nonviolent procession was organized marking the World Press Freedom Day. The protesters launched balloons carrying the colors of the Palestinian flag.
The soldiers fired many gas bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets at the journalist, causing no injuries, and threatened to use live fire should they continue their protest.
The soldiers also briefly detained two cameramen, identified as Rami Allariyya and Ashraf Nibali.
Journalists’ Syndicate head, Nasser Abu Bakr, said the protest was peaceful, sending a message of support to the detainees, including all imprisoned journalists, especially while the world celebrates the Freedom of the Press on this day.
He added that the journalists in occupied Palestine are frequently attacked by Israel, and are repeatedly abducted and imprisoned, due to Israel’s illegal policies of attempting to silence the press.
“Israel is the only country that imprisons journalists under Administrative Detention orders, holding them captive without charges or trial,” he said, “Our duty is to expose the ongoing crimes and escalating violations.”
The journalists were expressing their support to the striking detainees, demanding basic rights, and also demanding the release of 28 journalists, who are still held captive by Israel.
The nonviolent procession was organized marking the World Press Freedom Day. The protesters launched balloons carrying the colors of the Palestinian flag.
The soldiers fired many gas bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets at the journalist, causing no injuries, and threatened to use live fire should they continue their protest.
The soldiers also briefly detained two cameramen, identified as Rami Allariyya and Ashraf Nibali.
Journalists’ Syndicate head, Nasser Abu Bakr, said the protest was peaceful, sending a message of support to the detainees, including all imprisoned journalists, especially while the world celebrates the Freedom of the Press on this day.
He added that the journalists in occupied Palestine are frequently attacked by Israel, and are repeatedly abducted and imprisoned, due to Israel’s illegal policies of attempting to silence the press.
“Israel is the only country that imprisons journalists under Administrative Detention orders, holding them captive without charges or trial,” he said, “Our duty is to expose the ongoing crimes and escalating violations.”
30 apr 2017
As hundreds of Palestinians marched in occupied East Jerusalem, on Saturday evening, in solidarity with the hunger striking Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, Israeli soldiers assaulted the nonviolent protesters, deliberately targeted local journalists, damages their cameras, and abducted three protesters.
The soldiers, and police officers, assaulted a group of Palestinian journalists and photojournalists, near Nablus Street, in Jerusalem, as they were documenting a nonviolent procession in support of the Palestinian detainees, holding an open-ended hunger strike in Israeli prisons, for the thirteenth consecutive day.
The soldiers deliberately damaged cameras and equipment, owned by journalist Ahmad Gharabla, who was also assaulted by the soldiers.
The soldiers also assaulted photojournalists Mahmoud Oleyyan, Sinan Abu Meizar, Mustafa al-Kharouf, Fayez Abu Rmeila, Rami Khatib and Rajaey Khatib and a journalist identified as Dyala Jweihan.
The soldiers, and police officers, assaulted a group of Palestinian journalists and photojournalists, near Nablus Street, in Jerusalem, as they were documenting a nonviolent procession in support of the Palestinian detainees, holding an open-ended hunger strike in Israeli prisons, for the thirteenth consecutive day.
The soldiers deliberately damaged cameras and equipment, owned by journalist Ahmad Gharabla, who was also assaulted by the soldiers.
The soldiers also assaulted photojournalists Mahmoud Oleyyan, Sinan Abu Meizar, Mustafa al-Kharouf, Fayez Abu Rmeila, Rami Khatib and Rajaey Khatib and a journalist identified as Dyala Jweihan.
14 apr 2017
Dozens of protesters, including a journalist, were left wounded on Friday afternoon after the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) attacked a march in Bethlehem calling for the release of dead bodies.
Reporting from the scene, a PIC field correspondent said Palestinian journalist Islam al-Amarna was injured with the shrapnel of an acoustic bomb that exploded underneath her feet. She was rushed to the Beit Jala Hospital so as to be urgently treated for the wounds inflicted by the attack.
The Israeli army patrols targeted the marchers with randomly-unleashed spates of teargas canisters and acoustic bombs.
Dozens of protesters choked on tear gas after the IOF aggressively disbanded the march calling for the release of the bodies of slain anti-occupation youngsters.
The march kicked off from Merra crossroads on way to a flashpoint adjacent to Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque.
The protesters lifted the pictures of slain anti-occupation youngsters whose bodies have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities.
Reporting from the scene, a PIC field correspondent said Palestinian journalist Islam al-Amarna was injured with the shrapnel of an acoustic bomb that exploded underneath her feet. She was rushed to the Beit Jala Hospital so as to be urgently treated for the wounds inflicted by the attack.
The Israeli army patrols targeted the marchers with randomly-unleashed spates of teargas canisters and acoustic bombs.
Dozens of protesters choked on tear gas after the IOF aggressively disbanded the march calling for the release of the bodies of slain anti-occupation youngsters.
The march kicked off from Merra crossroads on way to a flashpoint adjacent to Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque.
The protesters lifted the pictures of slain anti-occupation youngsters whose bodies have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities.