A protest gathered outside the headquarters of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza on Sunday, November 10, in
solidarity with Palestinian academic and administrative detainee Ahmad
Qatamesh and all administrative detainees in occupation prisons,
demanding an end to international silence on administrative detention.
The protest was organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine and included participants from national and Islamic forces,
families of prisoners, and representatives of the Progressive Student
Action Front and the Palestinian Progressive Youth Union.
Former prisoner Allam Kaabi reported that the next hearing of
Palestinian academic Ahmad Qatamesh, held under administrative
detention without charge or trial for over two and a half years in
Israeli prisons, has been transferred from Ofer prison to Megiddo.
Qatamesh, 62, has had his administrative detention extended seven
times, most recently in August. He is recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience.
Prior to his recent administrative detention, he spent six years in
Israeli jail, from 1992-1998, and wrote a memoir of his experiences in
Israeli prisons, including torture.
Kaabi noted that Qatamesh is in poor health and the travel from
Ramon prison, where he is being held, to Megiddo, is over 12 hours and
will cause significant negative health impacts. Qatamesh rejected this
decision and prison authorities responded to threaten to transfer him
by force to Megiddo. Kaabi said that this is a malicious attempt to
injure and fatigue Qatamesh and force him to accept the principle of a
hearing that he rejects as illegitimate.
He said that the Bosta, which is used to transport prisoners,
creates health risks not only in the length of time it takes for
transport and the resulting severe fatigue, but that the prisoner is
transferred in unclean conditions, shackled to an iron chair inside the
transport, without sufficient openings in the vehicle for ventilation.
Kaabi called upon the Palestinian masses and national institutions
to take urgent action on the issue of prisoners held in administrative
detention, particularly the issue of Ahmad Qatamesh, detained since
2011. He also called for international pressure on the occupation to
implement the agreement with the prisoners in the Karameh hunger strike
in May 2012, to provide a private car to transport sick prisoners and
abolish the “Bosta” system.
Kaabi warned of the repercussions of the continuing systematic
practices targeting Qatamesh’s health and life, noting that the last
time he was transferred he suffered bruises due to falling in the Bosta
in light of continued deterioration of his health.
Kaabi said, “We stand today in front of the headquarters of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights in the Gaza Strip, in protest against the
policy of silence followed by the international institutions toward our
brave prisoners in Israeli jails, especially the administrative
detainees.” He urged action to support the protest threatened by
administrative detainees if there is no response to their demands,
saying all energies must be mobilized for their release and to launch a
global campaign of solidarity with them.
Kaabi said that the release of all prisoners, especially the sick
prisoners, administrative detainees, and leaders of the Palestinian
people, must be a top priority as a just cause, as the prisoners have
been and continue to be at the forefront of the Palestinian nation in
confronting the occupation and building steadfastness.
Take Action for Qatamesh: http://www.palestinematters.com/Please-demand-release-of-Palestinian-writer-Ahmad-Qatamesh_Appeal_108.aspx
Article by Ahmad’s daughter Haneen about his arrest: http://electronicintifada.net/content/when-israeli-soldiers-came-arrest-my-father/9901
Addameer profile of Ahmad Qatamesh:
http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=156
http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=156
1998 interview with Ahmad Qatamesh:
http://www.freearabvoice.org/interviewSeniorAdministrativeDetaineeQatamesh.htmIn 1999, Ahmad Qatamesh was detained by the Palestinian Authority for joining a protest against corruption: http://www.phrmg.org/pressrelease/1999/04dec1999.htm
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