PRESS RELEASE

Released @ 12 GMT 15 September 1998

A New Citizen from the Gaza Strip under Administration Detention

The Israeli Military Commander of the Gaza Strip area has placed a new citizen from the Gaza Strip under administration detention. On August 31^st, a military order was issued by Yom Tov Samyya, the Israeli Military Commander of the Gaza Strip, placing Salah Mustafa Shehada (45), resident of Beit Hanoun and father of 6 children, under administrative detention for a period of six months, starting on Sept. 1^st, 1998. Shehada has been serving ten years term of imprisonment in Israeli jails in August 1988. The Administrative detention order had been issued against him few days before the expiration of his term of imprisonment.

It is noteworthy that this administrative detention order is the second to be issued by the Israeli military authorities against Gazan citizens in 1998. On April 23^rd, 1998, Moeen Abu Fannona, arrested at Rafah border crossing on Dec. 30^th, 1997, was placed under administrative detention for a period of six months, just after he had finished a term of 4 month imprisonment. However, Abu Fannona was released on July 1^st, 1998, upon an appeal made on his behalf by attorney Tamar Peleg. Another order was issued against Ashraf Qandil, a resident of Gaza who had been detained on Oct. 2^nd, 1997, while leaving the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. Qandil served a six month term of administrative detention between November, 1997 and April 1998.

Orders of administrative detention are issued by the Israeli military commanders against citizens of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, excluding Jerusalemites, where the Israeli Defense Minister issues relevant orders. Measures of administrative detentions deprive the person his right to a fair trial, including his rights to be informed of the reasons for his detention and his right to proper defense.

Israeli measures of administrative detention constitute a flagrant breach to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which restricts such measures to exceptional cases of extreme danger to security. On the contrary, Israeli authorities have systematically used these measures against thousands of Palestinians. Currently, around 100 Palestinians are being placed under administrative detention. One of them, Usama Barham, has been serving the longest term of administrative detention since Sep. 1994. Along with other Palestinian prisoners, administrative detainees are being held in Israeli jails, out of the Occupied Territories in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

PCHR reiterates its condemnation of Israeli illegal measures and practices against Palestinian citizens, and calls for international intervention to stop Israeli human rights violations in the Occupied Territories. In particular, PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under this convention by ensuring its respect in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.