Israel holds more than 900 Palestinians in prison with neither charge nor trial

Israel is holding more than 900 Palestinians in prison with neither charge nor trial, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said yesterday. The figure of 914 held under so-called administrative detention is the highest since 2003, it noted, almost double the 483 held at the same time last year.

“The administrative detainees inside Israeli prisons have been preparing for strategic action in protest at their detention,” added the organisation. “It is to be organised jointly by prisoners from all the Palestinians factions.”

Administrative detention is based on regulations in place during the British Mandate occupation of Palestine. It allows Palestinians — it is never used by Israel to detain Jews — to be held for renewable periods with neither charge nor trial. “Secret evidence” is provided to the court for this purpose. There is clearly no recognisable due process as seen in genuinely democratic countries.

Palestinian NGO Addameer said that there are currently 4,700 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including women, children and seriously ill people.

READ: Israel issued 12,000 administrative detention orders in 9 years