Israel: Help Release Administrative Detainees

HELP RELEASE ADMINISTRATIVE DETAINEES
Over the past several months, individuals and organizations have joined
together in unprecedented activism against Israel's practice of
administrative detention. This activism has produced public events,
petitions published in the Israeli press signed by writers, jurists and
Israelis of all walks of life, and newspaper and television stories
about the detainees and their families.

Most importantly, detainees are being released. Imad Sabi' was released
after 20 months in administrative detention. Wissam Rafidie was released
after three years and five months. Samir Shallaldah was released after
three and a half years in administrative detention. It is clear that
public pressure has helped put a stop to the endless renewal of
administrative detention orders.

Not everyone has been released, however. Close to 200 Palestinians
remain in administrative detention, some of them for two or three years,
and even more. Ahmad Qattamesh has been held in administrative detention
since October 1993.  Khaled Deleisheh has been held in administrative
detention since April 1994. Without charges, with no trial, without
being provided with any information on why they are being detained, with
no idea when they will be released.

You can help put a stop to this. On April 8, the administrative
detention orders of both Ahmed Qattamesh and Khaled Deleisheh expire. In
the weeks prior, the security forces will decide whether to extend the
detention orders for yet another period. Write to those responsible
urging them not to allow new extensions of the administrative detention
orders. 

Faxes should be sent to:
1. Major General Uzi Dayan, Central Region Commander, Fax:
972-2-530-5741
2. Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, Fax: 972-3-696-2757
3. Military Advocate General, Brigadier General Uri Shoham, Fax:
03-569-4370
* Please send a copy of your letter to B'Tselem. 

If you are interested in joining the administrative detention rapid
response network, receiving information on other long-term detainees and
writing letters on their behalf, contact Jessica Montell at B'Tselem:
jmontell@btselem.org; fax: 972-2-5610756; telephone: 972-2-5617271.
Sample letter
Dear Major General Dayan,
On April 8 the administrative detention orders of Ahmad Qattamesh and
Khaled Deleisheh expire. I urge you to ensure that new extensions of
administrative detention are not issued against these individuals, both
of whom have already been detained for several years with charge or
trial. 

Administrative detention can only be justified as a short-term
preventive measure in times of emergency. It cannot justify the
detention of an individual for several years. If either of these
individuals have committed a crime, they must be charged and tried for
it. If they are not to be tried, they must be released. People cannot be
detained for years with no due process.

The Administrative Detention Rapid Response Network is jointly organized
by Addameer: Prisoners Support Association, the Association for Civil
Rights in Israel, B'Tselem, HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the
Individual, Open Doors and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel

B'Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the
Occupied Territories - is the leading Israeli organization monitoring,
documenting and advocating to improve human rights in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip.  Founded in 1989, B'Tselem publishes reports, engages in
advocacy and serves as a resource center.

43 Emek Refaim Street
Jerusalem 93141 ISRAEL
Telephone: 972-2-5617271
Fax: 972-2-561-0756
Btselem@actcom.co.il
http://www.btselem.org

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.