Israeli authorities have issued 84 administrative detention orders against Palestinian detainees, since the beginning of this month, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
PPS noted, according to WAFA, that new administrative detention orders were issued to 47 Palestinian detainees, whereas the remaining 38 others received renewed orders.
Israel’s widely condemned policy of administrative detention allows the imprisonment of Palestinian detainees — without charge or trial — for renewable intervals, usually ranging between three and six months, based on undisclosed evidence that even a detainee’s lawyer is barred from viewing.
Rights groups say that Israel’s administrative detention policy has been used as an attempt to disrupt Palestinian political processes, notably targeting Palestinian politicians, activists, and journalists.
B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights and information center stated, “Under certain circumstances, this type of detention may be lawful. However, due to the substantial injury to due process inherent in this measure, international law stipulates that it may be exercised only in very exceptional cases – and then only as a last possible resort, when there are no other means available to prevent the danger.
“Nevertheless, Israeli authorities routinely employ administrative detention. Over the years, thousands of Palestinians have been held in Israeli custody as administrative detainees for extended periods of time.”
The center said, “Israel’s use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law. Israel carries it out in a highly classified manner that denies detainees the possibility of mounting a proper defense.”
(Al Ray archive image.)
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