By Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Release, 07 February 2016
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the decision issued by the Israeli Supreme Court on 04 February 2016 to suspend the administrative detention against journalist Mohammed al-Qeeq on condition that he stays at the Israeli hospitals receiving medical treatment and family visits.
Al-Qeeq rejected the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision, considering it as circumvention of his right to resist the illegal, inhuman and immoral decision of administrative detention. He added that the decision overrides the local and international public opinion, which obviously rejected al-Qeeq being subject to this systemic killing policy and emphasized his right to the freedom of opinion and expression that is guaranteed by all international laws and conventions.
Lawyer Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, said that the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend al-Qeeq’s administrative detention is an attempt to break his 74-day hunger strike, giving the security services the green light then to reactivate his detention. Sourani explained that reflects conspiracy between the Israeli Supreme Court and security services, emphasizing the role of the Israeli courts in offering a legal cover-up for Israeli crimes committed against Palestinian civilians and arbitrarily arresting them through the policy of administrative detention.
It should be mentioned that journalist Mohammed Usamah al-Qeeq (33) has been on an open hunger strike since 25 November 2015 in protest against placing him under 6-month administrative detention. Al-Qeeq’s health deteriorated, so he was taken to al-Afoulah Hospital in Israel and is still there. It is also noteworthy that on 12 January 2016, Israeli forces force-fed al-Qeeq after he was handcuffed and then forcibly administrated intravenous fluids…