Administrative Detention Order Against Hasan Karajah

Update: Hasan Karajah was released on 9 November 2017 after having spent one year and a half under administrative detention without charge or trial.

On 17 July 2016, the Israeli Ofer military court issued an administrative detention order of six months against human rights defender Hasan Karajah. He was arrested on 12 July, and to date has not been informed of the charges against him. He is currently detained at Ofer prison in the West Bank and a confirmation court hearing is scheduled for 21 July.

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Hasan Karajah is a Palestinian human rights defender and member of various youth groups in Palestine including the Arab Education Forum and the Group of Safar. He is a Youth Programmes Coordinator with the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop The Wall) and is  an ambassador for Palestinian youth with the Arab Thought Foundation. Hasan has extensively advocated for an end to the conflict in the region, and has launched a public initiative to put an end to the separation between Gaza and the West Bank.

On 12 July 2016, Hasan Karajah was arrested by the Israeli forces at Beit Ur al-Fuqua checkpoint, and transferred to Ofer prison, where he remains detained. During interrogation, he was questioned about his human rights activities in relation to the occupation and the separation wall. He was denied access to a lawyer and family visits during his detention .

A hearing session was scheduled for 14 July, but was subsequently postponed. On 17 July, the Israeli Ofer military court issued an administrative detention order of six months against Hasan Karajah without informing him of the charges against him. A court hearing to confirm his administrative detention has been set for 21 July.

Administrative detention has been frequently used by Israeli authorities against human rights defenders to detain them without charges, trial or for indefinite detention. According to Addameer, as of May 2016, 715 Palestinians are held under administrative detention orders, including three members of the Palestinian Legislative Council,

Front Line Defenders is concerned by the administrative detention order issued against Hasan Karajah as it believes that he is being held solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Israel to:
 

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

2. Ensure that the treatment of Hasan Karajah, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in the Occupied Territories of Palestine are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment