Palestinian human rights defender placed under Israel administrative detention

An Israeli military court placed Palestinian human rights defender Ayman Nasser Karajeh under detention without charge or trial yesterday, reported Ma’an News Agency.

The 45-year-old father-of-four, who works as the legal unit coordinator at Palestinian prisoners’ support group Addameer, was detained from his home in Saffa, the West Bank, on 9 September.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners and Former Prisoners Affairs’ Committee, Karajeh was given a six-month administrative detention order.

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Israeli occupation authorities routinely use administrative detention, which can be indefinitely renewed, as a tool of political repression, targeting activists, journalists and political leaders.

Citing official data, Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem has reported that over the last year, 29 Palestinians were taken into administrative detention every month, on average, and 37 were released.

Over the past decade, the number of administrative detainees held by Israel in a single month has never fallen below 150.

According to Addameer, there are 5,781 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli prisons, 456 of whom are administrative detainees.