Responding to the news that an Israeli court has confirmed the six month administrative detention order for Salah Hammouri a field researcher for the Palestinian human rights NGO Addameer, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Magdalena Mughrabi said:
“The arbitrary detention of Salah Hammouri is yet another shameful example of the Israeli authorities’ abusive use of administrative detention to detain suspects indefinitely without charge or trial. Rather than locking him up without presenting a shred of evidence against him, the Israeli authorities must either charge him with a genuine criminal offence or order his immediate release.
“For 50 years, Israel has relied upon administrative detention to suppress peaceful dissent and as a substitute for proper criminal prosecution. Now they appear to be using it to target human rights activists. They must take urgent steps to end this cruel practice once and for all.”
The arbitrary detention of Salah Hammouri is yet another shameful example of the Israeli authorities’ abusive use of administrative detention
Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International
Salah Hammouri is the second Addameer staff member to be held in administrative detention, Media Coordinator Hasan Safadi has been detained since 10 June 2016 without charge or trial. Five staff members from the organization are banned from travelling outside Israel and Palestine. Addameer’s board member Khalida Jarrar has also been held in administrative detention since 2 July 2017.