بادروا بالتحرُّك لحسن الصفدي

Your Excellency,

On 7 June 2016, human rights defender Mr Hasan Safadi appeared before the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court for an interrogation session which was postponed until 10 June 2016. The human rights defender was arrested on 1 May 2016, by Israeli occupation forces while returning from an Arab Youth conference in Tunisia. He is currently detained at the so-called Russian compound interrogation centre in Jerusalem pending investigation.

Hasan Safadi is a Palestinian journalist and human rights defender working as a media and communications officer at Addameer - Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association.  Addameer is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution that works to support Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli and Palestinian prisons. The organisation provides free legal aid to prisoners, as well as documenting and carrying out research on human rights violations in Palestine. It also engages in advocacy work, training and awareness raising. Hasan Safadi has also contributed to numerous publications about the situation of human rights in Palestine, including Assafir, a newspaper published in Lebanon.

On 7 June 2016, an interrogation session was scheduled for Hasan Safadi, in which the judge chose to extend the detention period for four days until 10 June 2016, pending investigation. Under Israeli law, persons may be lawfully detained for a period of no longer than 48 hours. The human rights defender has been in detention for one month without being informed of the charges held against him.

Hasan Safadi was arrested on 1 May 2016 by Israeli occupation forces while crossing al-Karameh bridge between Palestine and Jordan as he was returning to the West Bank, after attending a conference in Tunis in late April on Arab Youth. The human rights defender was later transferred to Al Moskobiyyeh Interrogation Center in Jerusalem. A session was held on 2 May 2016 which was then postponed until 8 May 2016.

I am extremely concerned about the unlawful and arbitrary detention of Hasan Safadi, as it believes the actions against him to be motivated by his legitimate and peaceful human rights activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

I urge the authorities in Israel:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Hasan Safadi and cease any further harassment against him;

2. Respect the maximum legal detention period of 48 hours and refrain from holding detainees for any longer than this period;

3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities, including through the exercise of their right to free assembly, without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.

Sincerely,