Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair
On 13 August 2020, the Military Court of Offer renewed the administrative detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair, for an additional four months.
On 26 April 2020, the Military Court of Ofer sentenced human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair to four months of administrative detention.
On 23 April 2020, the Military Court of Ofer rescheduled the hearing for human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair to 26 April 2020.
On 19 April 2020, the Israeli army forces raided the house of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair and arrested him. There have been no charges filed against him since his arrest.
Muhammad Al-Zughair is a human rights defender and the spokesperson for Youth Against Settlements, a Palestinian group working to address human rights violations linked to the Israeli occupation through non-violent actions. Muhammad Al-Zughair’s work focuses on documenting the violence of some Israeli settlers in Hebron.
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- 18 August 2020 : Administrative detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair renewed
- 27 April 2020 : Muhammad Al-Zughair under administrative detention
- 24 April 2020 : Hearing of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair rescheduled to 26 April
- 20 April 2020 : Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair
On 13 August 2020, the Military Court of Offer renewed the administrative detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair, for an additional four months.
The human rights defender has been held in administrative detention since 19 April 2020. His lawyer will appeal the decision in the Israeli Supreme Court.
On 26 April 2020, the Military Court of Ofer sentenced human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair to four months of administrative detention.
The hearing was held virtually through video conference and the human rights defender had limited access to his lawyer. Muhammad Al-Zughair is currently detained in solitary confinement at Gush Etzion detention centre in unsanitary living conditions. On 30 April 2020, another hearing is due to take place to confirm the administrative detention sentence.
On 23 April 2020, the Military Court of Ofer rescheduled the hearing for human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair to 26 April 2020.
The Public Prosecution has accused the human rights defender of ‘belonging to an illegal group’ and ‘incitement’ and he may face administrative detention. Muhammad Al-Zughair was interrogated without the presence of his lawyer on 21 April 2020.
On 19 April 2020, the Israeli army forces raided the house of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair and arrested him. There have been no charges filed against him since his arrest.
Muhammad Al-Zughair is a human rights defender and the spokesperson for Youth Against Settlements, a Palestinian group working to address human rights violations linked to the Israeli occupation through non-violent actions. Muhammad Al-Zughair’s work focuses on documenting the violence of some Israeli settlers in Hebron.
On 19 April 2020, at 2:00 am several members of the Israeli army forcibly entered and raided the house of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair, confiscated his laptop and cameras, and arrested him. Front Line Defenders believes that the arrest of the defender came after he documented the violence of some Israeli settlers who were reportedly using the COVID-19 curfew to build an outpost next to the office of Youth Against Settlements in Hebron, as well as raiding the office of the human rights group.
After his arrest, the human rights defender was taken to Gush Etzion military base, which is known for its inhumane detention conditions. He has not been allowed to contact his family or his lawyer since he was detained on 19 April 2020. No charges have been filed against him.
Muhammad Al-Zughair has been frequently harassed by the Israeli military forces and has been arbitrarily detained several times previously regarding his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.
Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned about the arbitrary detention of human rights defender Muhammad Al-Zughair, and the harassment of the Youth Against Settlements group, as it believes that these acts are directly motivated by their peaceful human rights work.
