Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike over administrative detention

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Sep 2023 17:18

Four Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike in protest of their detention at the hands of the Israeli occupation, most notably the administrative detention of three of them.

A Palestinian child holds up a sign that reads "Stop Administrative Detention" in solidarity with Palestinian administrative detainees (Social media)

Four Palestinian prisoners, including three administrative detainees, are on hunger strike in protest of their administrative detention.

The Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike are Kayed al-Fasfous, 34, Sultan Khalouf, 42, Abdulrahman Iyad Baraqah, 24, and Maher al-Akhras, 52.

Kayed al-Fasfous

Al-Fasfous, who has been behind Israeli bars for seven years, spent nine days in May on hunger strike in protest of his administrative detention.

The father of one girl has been on hunger strike for 31 days, which he started two months after he was detained on May 2.

In 2021, he went on a 131-day hunger strike in protest of his administrative detention, which only ended as he snatched his freedom from the Israeli occupation under which he had been since 2019.

Sultan Khalouf

Khalouf, from Burqin, has been on hunger strike for 31 days. He started off his hunger strike as soon as he was detained last month.

The 42-year-old had an administrative detention order raised against him for four months. He had spent days in prison and went on a 67-day hunger strike back in 2019 as he was still being held in al-Jalama prison.

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs has called on the international community to address the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners who are often detained without trial.

Detainees in other Israeli prisons have taken similar measures to protest the mistreatment of prisoners, including in "Ofer" which has seen several similar cases.

Since the start of this year, at least 500 inmates have refused to show up in military courts for their hearings.

The boycott targets the unjust renewal of administrative detention orders, which are often done indefinitely, as well as appeal hearings and sessions at "Israel's" supreme court.

Abdulrahman Iyad Baraqah

24-year-old Baraqah from Aqabat Jaber refugee camp went on hunger strike 24 days ago, and he has been detained since April 30 while being held in "Rimon" prison.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club announced in August that thirteen Palestinian prisoners have launched an open-ended hunger strike to protest the Israeli occupation's administrative detention centers.

All thirteen Palestinian prisoners concerned are detained in the "Rimon" prison in Northern Palestine.

The Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs warned on Wednesday of a "real explosion" in Israeli occupation prisons and detention centers, as a result of the occupation's policy of indifference to the demands of administrative prisoners.

In a statement, the Commission indicated that the escalating increase in the number of new administrative prisoners is a clear indication that the political and military instructions give the so-called Israeli intelligence officers absolute freedom to master the collective punishment of these prisoners and their families.

The number of administrative prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons exceeds 1,200 -- the highest number since 2002. Data show that the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons reached about 5,000 in 2023, including 160 children and 32 women.

Maher al-Akhras

Palestinian Islamic Jihad senior official al-Akhras has been has been on hunger strike for 11 days in al-Jalama prison.

The PIJ official spent five years in the occupation's prisons, but he attained his freedom in 2020 before he was arrested. He snatched his freedom through a 103-day hunger strike that saw the day of six daughters nearing the brink of death.

In a move that has raised concerns, the Salem Military Court, operating under the Israeli occupation, has decided to delay the trial of imprisoned PIJ leader Maher al-Akhras until the sixth of next month, citing the need for "further investigation", according to Mohjat al-Quds organization.

This bureaucratic stalling unfolds as al-Akhras goes into the eighth consecutive day of his hunger strike, protesting against his arbitrary detention.

Al-Shaqiqi added that since the moment of al-Akhras' arrest, the occupation's intentions have been clear, with one occupation officer telling al-Akhras that his fate would be like that of the martyr Khader Adnan.

Al-Shaqiqi strongly emphasized that the occupation is actively attempting to "eliminate al-Akhras".

This marks the second instance in which the occupation has postponed al-Akhras' trial. Originally scheduled for today, the trial was rescheduled after his detention was extended by an additional 7 days.

Mohjat al-Quds Foundation cited a letter by al-Akhras in which he declared that he is still determined to maintain his hunger strike.

In his letter, he stated: "A Zionist officer introduced himself as the regional officer and asked me if I was taking any medications," and I told him, "I don't want medicine or food." Then the officer replied, "You will end up like Sheikh Khader, that's what we did to Sheikh Khader" (referring to martyr Sheikh Khader Adnan).