LAW APPEALS TO PRESIDENT ARAFAT TO INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE DETAINEES IN NEXT PRISONER RELEASE

3 January, 1997

The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment ("LAW") sent a letter on Dec. 31, to President Arafat requested that the 270 Palestinian administrative detainees be included in the next prisoner release. The Palestinian administrative detainees have not been tried or convicted of any offense and their long-term imprisonment is illegal and a violation of international human rights law. Many of the detainees have been in detention for more than a year; some for two years or more. The Israeli authorities continue to arrest and extend the detentions of the Palestinian detainees and are holding them as hostages - since they are imprisoned without any charges or trial.

Under section 16 of the Oslo Agreement and Annex VII, the Israelis committed to release the detainees.

Yesterday, attorneys for LAW - Haitham Al-Qadi and Allegra Pacheco - visited the detainees in Megiddo prison in northern Israel. The detainees reported that while two detainees were released this week, twelve detainees had their detentions extended for another 2-6 months.

The detainees informed LAW's attorneys that two days ago, all the detainees and prisoners in Megiddo prison (760 in total) staged a protest at the fence of the prison and a one day hunger strike in solidarity with the people of Hebron and against the shooting by the Jewish settler Noam Friedman The detainees stated that the ease in which the Noam Friedman opened fire on the Hebron residents escalated their fears that the same could happen to them in the prison. Currently, during the prison counts over 40 armed soldiers enter the sections and watch over the count. The prisoners and detainees demanded that in light of the shooting, that the only unarmed soldiers enter their living quarters. They contended that tear gas and batons provided enough security for the soldiers without unnecessarily endangering the prisoners. It should be noted that in Israeli prisons, no police are allowed to enter the cell area with his gun; he must leave it at the entrance of the prison.

Adv. Al-Qadi and Pacheco also visited the Palestinian administrative detainees in Askalon prison where they reported that their living conditions have not improved at all despite promises from the administration. There are 14 Palestinain administrative detainees in Askalon prison and two in Ramle prison.

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LAW- The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAW is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.