New film puts spotlight on Palestinians detained by Israel without charge

Palestinian prisoners’ rights group Addameer has released a new film designed to shed light on Israel’s policy of detaining Palestinians without charge or trial.

According to the NGO, ‘Life on Hold: The Policy of Administrative Detention’, “specifically focuses on the psychological effects of administrative detention on detainees and their families.”

Israeli occupation authorities currently hold some 700 Palestinians as administrative detainees, meaning they are being held on the basis of secret evidence, for indefinitely renewable periods.

The 11-minute film was produced as part of Addameer’s global campaign to #StopAD.

The film features input from lawyers and the relatives of detainees. As the wife of one prisoner relates: “His administrative detention order is continuously renewed for six additional months every time without explanation.”

The family member of another prisoner explained how his detention was renewed just 30 minutes prior to his scheduled release, the kind of cruel uncertainty that lead many to believe administrative detention, as used by Israeli authorities, constitutes a form of torture.

The film also explains how the measure is used punitively, and to target Palestinian political activity.