The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan) condemns the Israeli arrest of MP Khalida Jarrar.
The arrest is within the context of continued systematic violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) by Israel vis-a-vis Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
Israel’s widespread use of administrative detention violates the basic principles of human rights and IHL.
According to information available to Al Mezan from partner human rights organizations in the West Bank, at approximately 1:00 am on Thursday, 2 April 2015, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) broke into the house of Khalida Jarrar, searched it, and confiscated two computers and a mobile phone.
The IOF placed Jarrar under arrest and moved her to an army camp near Jaba’ village, east of Jerusalem.
At approximately 7:30 am the same day, the IOF referred Jarrar to Ofer army camp near the city of Ramallah.
One hour after her arrival, she was interrogated Jarrar for more than four consecutive hours.
The military commander of the West Bank areas in Ofer court sentenced her to six months administrative detention.
She was then referred to HaSharon prison.
She will be detained until Wednesday, 8 April 2015, pending a court decision to confirm or revoke the sentence.
It’s worth mentioning that the forces broke into Jarrar’s home on 20 August 2014 and delivered her a military order that she refused to sign.
The order stated that Jarrar was required to leave her place of residence in Ramallah and relocate to Jericho for a period of six months, with immediate effect.
Since 12 June 2014, the Israeli forces have arrested hundreds of Palestinians under the Israeli administrative detention law, including Dr.
Aziz Dweik, the head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
Israel began issuing administrative detention orders in 1967 as part of its policy of restraint and collective punishment of residents of the oPt.
Israeli authorities and courts continue to arrest and detain Palestinians under the Emergency Law of 1945, which was in force during the British Mandate over Palestine.
This law allows Israeli authorities to detain Palestinians without bringing them to trial or providing reasons for their detention; the term of the detention can be repeatedly extended by default procedure.
In August 2006, Israel launched a fierce campaign of arrest of PLC members, municipality members, and ministers.
The Israeli authority has been detaining Ahmed Sadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), for nine years.
The detention of Marwan Barghouthi, Fatah PLC member, is on its tenth year.
The Israeli authorities continue to disregard the obligations and principles of UN treaty bodies, including the calls from UN Convention Against Torture and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights to stop its use of administrative detention.
The EU expressed its concern regarding the Israeli administrative detention policy.
Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s arrest of Jarrar and the continued detention of other PLC members.
Al Mezan condemns the Israeli grave and systematic violations against Palestinians in the oPt in which these incidents occur.
Al Mezan holds the Israeli authorities responsible for the well-being of Jarrar.
Al Mezan views the Israeli escalation of the administrative detention policy as a violation of IHL and IHRL and as a blatant disregard to its legal obligations under international law.
Therefore, Al Mezan calls on the international community to promptly intervene to secure the release of Jarrar and to oblige the Israeli authority to respect IHL and IHRL principles in relation to Palestinians in the oPt.
Al Mezan calls on the International Parliamentary Union and national and local parliaments to exert political and diplomatic pressure to secure the release of Jarrar and her PLC colleagues immediately.
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