Kuwait appeals to UN chief to press Israel to end administrative detention

Kuwait, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), urgently appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to press Israel to immediately release administrative detainees, now totally 700 in Israeli prisons, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

In a letter sent to the UN Chief, the Permanent Representative to Kuwait Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al Otaibi, the Chairman of the OIC group, drew urgent attention to the plight of Palestinian political prisoners and administrative detainees in Israeli jails and detention centers, especially the critical conditions of three hunger striking prisoners protesting their detention without trial or charge.

The three detainees are the two brothers, Muhammad Balboul, a 25-year-old dentist, and Mahmoud Balboul, a 22-year-old first lieutenant, and Malik Al-Qadi, a 20-year-old student at the Journalism School of Al-Quds University.These three young Palestinian men have been on continuous hunger strike for two months in protest against their unjust administrative detention and serious abuses by the Israeli occupying force.

“As they under take this form of peaceful, non-violent protest, their lives are at imminent risk due to deteriorating health conditions and ongoing abuse by the occupying Power,”said Otaibi.

In the letter, the OIC highlighted that Mahmoud has been subjected to physical abuse by Israeli prison guards during his hunger strike and has been transferred to medical center following decline of his health, as he is currently being held in an intensive care unit. 

His brother, Muhammad has lost his sight due to his prolonged hunger strike. Similarly, Malik AlQadi, who has been on hunger strike since mid-July, 2016, has been beaten by prison guards and has been transferred to an intensive care unit following deterioration of his health.

In this regard, the OIC said it must be underscored that administrative detention as practiced by Israel, the occupying Power, is illegal and constitutes the gravest form of arbitrary detention. 

“Over 700 Palestinian prisoners, including minors, are currently being held by Israel under administrative detention,” the letter added.

Further, the letter noted that, in concluding observations in a 2016 periodic report on implementation of the Convention against Torture, the Committee against Torture called on Israel to “urgently take the measures necessary to end the practice of administrative detention and ensure that all persons who are currently held in administrative detention are afforded all basic legal safeguards.”

Due to the persistence of the critical situation, Otaibi called for an urgent attention and intervention of the international community. “Further harm, or possible death of any of the hunger striking detainees, would have serious ramifications on the already-fragile and tense situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,” he added.
The OIC called urged the international community to act to ensure a complete and definitive end of such a practice and to all violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, noting that this can only be done by holding Israel accountable for its violations. “Israel must be obliged to comply in this regard with its obligations under international, including humanitarian and human rights law,” the letter added.

The chairman of the OIC group urged “serious efforts” to be undertaken in order for Israel to compel to act forthwith to cease its arrest and detention of Palestinian civilians, which is happening on a daily basis, and to release the Palestinian prisoners and detainees as an integral part of securing the freedom of the Palestinian people and enabling the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination.

Source: MENA