Palestinian political detainee, Hana’ Ash-Shalabi, 30, is ongoing with her hunger-strike for the 22nd day in a row, rejecting her illegal administrative detention, and demanding her immediate and unconditional release. Several human rights groups in Palestine expressed concern over the health condition of Ash-Shalabi, and held Israel fully responsible for her well-being.
On Wednesday evening, the Judge at the Ofer Israeli Military Court stated that he will make a final decision on the appeal, filed by Ash-Shalabi’s defense team, by the middle of next week.
Lawyer Mahmoud Hassan told the Maan news Agency that delaying the verdict comes to give the defense and the prosecution the opportunity to reach an agreement on the case of Ash-Shalabi.
He added that despite the fact that Ash-Shalabi lost 10 kilograms of her weight, and despite her deteriorating health condition, she insists on continuing her hunger-strike until Israel ends her illegal detention.
Hassan further stated that the Israeli Judge did not allow the father of Ash-Shalabi to see her, even from a distance, and ordered the court’s door shut during the deliberations.
He said that Ash-Shalabi was cuffed and bound while being transported to court, and that one of the female soldiers tried to strip-search her in front of other female detainees before moving her out of the detention facility, and when Ash-Shalabi refused, the soldier started threatening her, and told her that “she will be severely punished”. The soldiers then took Ash-Shalabi to the toilets and searched her.
Meanwhile, human rights activists and heads of human rights centers in Gaza, held a conference demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Ash-Shalabi.
They said that since Ash-Shalabi started her hunger-strike, the first day after she was taken prisoner on February 16, she declared that she is determined to continue her strike until she is released, and until the soldiers, who attacked and beat her during the course of her arrest, are punished for their crime.
She was also repeatedly attacked while being transported to court, and during the way back to the Ha-Sharon prison.
There are currently more than 300 Palestinians, including 20 elected legislators, who are imprisoned under Administrative Detention orders in direct violation to International Law.
