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Ref: 53/2005

Date: 19 April 2005

Time: 11:15 GMT  

Following 4 Years of Administrative Detention, Israeli Authorities Release ‘Ali Farraj Abu Juraida  

On Monday evening, 18 April 2005, Israeli occupation authorities released ‘Ali Farraj Salem Abu Juraida, 29, from Rafah.  The release ended four years of administrative detention for Abu Juraida during which time he was held without charge, trial and access to a lawyer. 

According to information available to PCHR, Israeli occupation authorities released Abu Juraida at approximately 21:00 on 18 April 2005 and transported him to Erez Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip from where he traveled home. 

Abu Juraida is representative of a large number of Palestinians who continue to be held under administrative detention orders by Israel.  Administrative detention is a system which allows Palestinians to be held without charge or trial, without access to a lawyer or a right of repeal for indefinitely renewable periods of up to six months.  Abu Jaraida was arrested by Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) at Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border while attempting to return from Gaza to Egypt.  He was interrogated by members of the Israeli Intelligence for 60 days and then placed under administrative detention.  His administrative detention was renewed 10 times by the Israelis.   

Administrative detention violates international human rights standards as it lacks proper judicial procedures which can ensure that a detainee enjoy their rights to have a fair trial, to know charges brought against him and seek appropriate legal counsel.  Further, the system of administrative detention used by the Israelis violates Article 78 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits the use of this measure as a form of punishment, rather then as an exceptional measure for “imperative reasons of security.”  The IOF have consistently used administrative detention as a penal measure against thousands of Palestinians.  In some cases, administrative detention orders are issued against Palestinian detainees at the end of interrogation without being charged.  In other cases such orders are issued against Palestinian detainees after they have served the whole period of their imprisonment sentences.   

Israeli occupation authorities continue to detain at least 8000 Palestinians in 27 jails and detention centers. Of those, 880, including 10 women and 12 children, have been held under administrative detention in al-Naqab, Mageddo and Oufar prisons. 

PCHR reiterates that the policy of administrative detention adopted by Israeli occupation authority is in violation of fundamental basic human rights and their responsibilities as an occupying power in international humanitarian law.  PCHR notes with concern that Israeli occupation authorities have continued to hold hundreds of Palestinians under administrative detention in Israeli jails.  PCHR calls upon concerned bodies to immediately intervene to ensure the release of all political prisoners who have been detained by the Israelis.

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org