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Israel extends detention of student leader kidnapped from West Bank university

March 29, 2018 at 12:17 pm

Omar Al-Kiswani, a Palestinian student leader, is on hunger-strike in protest of his detention, torture and interrogation without charges [Sabeel Jerusalem/Twitter]

An Israeli occupation military court renewed the detention of Omar Al-Kiswani, head of the Students’ Council, who was kidnapped by undercover Israeli forces from Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank, Al-Resalah newspaper reported yesterday.

Lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club Mamoun Al-Hashim said that Al-Kiswani stopped drinking water since Tuesday in protest against the harsh investigations he is undergoing at Al-Maskopia Israeli Detention Centre.

According to the lawyer, he is exposed to investigation sessions lasting for hours and he is prevented from sleeping.

This is the third time the Israeli military court in Ofer Prison has renewed Al-Kiswani’s detention, the lawyer said, noting that the court extended his detention for six days under the pretext of completing the investigations.

Read: New report demolishes Israeli claims over ‘reform’ of military detention for minors

He also said that Al-Kiswani is prevented by the Israeli occupation authorities from meeting lawyers until the first of April.

On 7 March, a group of Israeli occupation forces claimed they were journalists, raided the university and attacked Al-Kiswani before kidnapping him.