Occupied Ramallah, 11 April 2013 – Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association condemns yesterday’s arrest of former Palestinian hunger striker Thaer Halahala by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

 

Thaer was arrested from his home in Ramallah. At 2 am yesterday, IOF simultaneously surrounded both Thaer’s family home in the village of Kharas near Hebron and Thaer’s home in Ramallah, though they did not enter the home in Kharas.

 

In Ramallah, IOF first ransacked a neighbor’s house, blindfolded him and them used him as a human shield to enter Thaer’s house. At the time, Thaer, his wife, his sister, and his two children were in the house. Thaer has a 3-year old daughter and a newborn baby of 20 days.

 

Around 50 IOF proceeded to ransack the house, destroying many of the family’s belongings. When Thaer resisted arrest, he was beaten by IOF, who then blindfolded and handcuffed him, dragging him out of the house as he screamed in pain. IOF refused to allow Thaer to get dressed and did not inform his family of the reason for arrest or where they were taking him. IOF also stole his laptop and phone and demanded that the family turn over all other devices in the home.

 

Thaer is currently being held at the Russian Compound in Jerusalem and his period of interrogation has been extended for a further 12 days by an Israeli military court.

 

Thaer was previously in administrative detention from 26 June 2010 to 5 June 2012, during which time he undertook a 78-day open hunger strike. After his release, Thaer underwent two surgical procedures, both of which were necessary due to the effects of his hunger strike. Thaer was next arrested on 16 November 2012 and was detained for interrogation concerning his activism in solidarity with prisoners for approximately a week, during which time he carried out a hunger strike. Thaer continues to suffer from seizures as a result of the lack of salt in his body and is still receiving medical treatment.

 

Addameer calls on international organizations to apply increased pressure to secure the release of all prisoners in Israeli custody, particularly those who suffer from medical complications, given Israel’s well-documented policy of medical neglect vis-à-vis the prisoners and detainees in its custody.

 

 

*Write to the Israeli government, military and legal authorities and demand the release of Thaer Halahala.

 

•                Brigadier General Danny Efroni
Military Judge Advocate General
6 David Elazar Street
Harkiya, Tel Aviv
Israel
Fax: +972 3 608 0366; +972 3 569 4526
Email: arbel@mail.idf.il; avimn@idf.gov.il

•                Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon
OC Central Command Nehemia Base, Central Command
Neveh Yaacov, Jerusalam
Fax: +972 2 530 5741

•                Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak
Ministry of Defense
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel
Fax: +972 3 691 6940 / 696 2757

•                Col. Eli Bar On
Legal Advisor of Judea and Samaria PO Box 5
Beth El 90631
Fax: +972 2 9977326