ISRAEL TO RELEASE TWO HUNGER STRIKERS EARLY

Ramallah, 23 Jumadil Akhir 1434/3 May 2013 (MINA) – An Israeli military court has reduced the administrative detention of two hunger-striking prisoners from Jenin, the lawyer for the Palestinian Authority Detainees Ministry said Thursday.

Attorney Jawad Boulos said the military court ordered the early release of Jaafar Izz al-Din and Tariq Kadan by two weeks and are due to leave Israeli custody on 8 May, Ma’an News Agency reported as quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

Izz al-Din and Kaadan have been on hunger strike for 90 days in protest over being held under administrative detention. They ended their strike once the decision for early release was announced following a protracted appeal, Boulos said.

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According to prisoner support group Addameer, between 2007 and 2011, 8,157 administrative detention orders were issued by Israel. As of February 2013, there were 178 Palestinian administrative detainees in Israeli custody, including nine members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Administrative detention is a practice used by Israel to detain Palestinians on detention orders that range from one to six months, renewable indefinitely.

Last Tuesday long term hunger striker Samer Issawi ended his protest action after signing an agreement with Israel which guarantees his release, Bolous said.

The deal will see Issawi released to his hometown of Jerusalem after serving eight months in jail, after 266 days of refusing food in protest against his rearrest by Israeli forces. (T/P012/E1)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)