4/2016

28/1/2016
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) holds Israeli occupation government responsible for the life of Journalist Muhammad Al Qiq who has been on hunger strike for 65 days in a row, in protest against administrative detention which Israel exercises against Palestinian civilians in breach of international laws and the 1949 Four Geneva Conventions relevant to the protection of civilians in the time of war.

ICHR demands that Israeli occupation government release Journalist Muhammad Al Qiq who has been in detention since November 2015, facing the risk of death being on hunger strike in protest against administrative detention.

Israeli occupation authorities refuse to let him free despite his critical health condition. Israeli Supreme Court of Justice postponed consideration of the petition submitted by the Palestinian attorneys requesting his immediate release. By doing so, the court abets killing of Journalist Al Qiq.

Al Qiq was detained on 21st November 2015 and was transferred to the Israeli Interrogation Center of Al Galama. He was subjected to torture, and thus he announced hunger strike.

On 20 December 2015, he was subjected to 6-month term of administrative detention and was transferred to Al Ramlah Prison Clinic. He was put in solitary confinement.

Al Qiq now is held in Al Afoula Hospital inside the Palestinian land occupied in 1948, with his hands and legs tied to the bed.

His health condition began to deteriorate since he lost his ability to speak or move. He also began to suffer from physical spasm and coma. He refuses to have any supplements, forced feed or medical tests.

Administrative detention is a form of arbitrary penal polices exercised by the Israeli occupation government against the Palestinians. It holds them arbitrarily without bringing them to trial or filing charges against them.

Israeli occupation authorities turned administrative detention into a continuous policy and collective punishment tool in violation of the international law.

Administrative detention policy is indiscriminately implemented against the Palestinians by military orders and recommendations by the Intelligence Agency under security pretexts.

By the end of December 2015, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons under administrative detention reached 540 people, the highest during the year 2015.

Since 2000, Israeli occupation authorities issued about 25 thousand orders of administrative detention.

ICHR demands that the United Nations, its special rapporteurs and different agencies as well as the International Red Cross Committee shoulder their responsibilities towards the Palestinian prisoners and apply pressure on the Israeli occupation government to stop its arbitrary measures and save the life of Journalist Muhammad Al Qiq. It also calls on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on arbitrary detention to immediately intervene to save the life of prisoner Al Qiq.

ICHR also calls on the United Nations Council of Human Rights, the Arab League and the States parties to the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949 as well as the IFJ to intercede with the Secretary General of the United Nations to apply pressure on the Israeli occupation government to save the life of Muhammad Al Qiq and abolish the systemic arbitrary detention policy which the Israeli occupation government exercises against the Palestinians.