[Pnews] Head of Palestinian women's union Khitam Saafin released from Israeli prison

[Prisoner News]

  Head of Palestinian women's union Khitam Saafin released from Israeli
  prison

Oct. 2, 2017 - http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=779250

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Civil society leader and president of the Union of 
Palestinian Women's Committees Khitam Saafin was released from Israeli 
prison on Sunday after being held without trial or charge since July 9, 
Palestinian prisoners' rights group Addameer reported in a statement Monday.

Saafin was detained during a predawn military raid in the village of 
Beituniya in the central occupied West Bank,the same night Israeli 
forces detained 
<http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=777878>Palestinian Legislative 
Council (PLC) member Khalida Jarrar. 
<http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=777878>

Both were later sentenced with administrative detention, Israel's 
widely-condemned policy of interment without trial or charge based on 
undisclosed evidence -- Jarrar for six months 
<http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=778057>, and Saafin for three.

Saafin, 53, is the president of the Union of Palestinian Women's 
Committee and has spoken internationally and participated in many 
worldwide events, including the World Social Forum, linking women’s 
struggles internationally with the struggle of Palestinian women for 
national and social liberation, according to Addameer.

The group says that 450 Palestinians are currently placed under 
administrative detention, including five female, one child, and nine PLC 
members.

"This practice of arbitrary detention is a grave violation of 
international laws and human rights standards, particularly articles 78 
and 72 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which state that an accused 
individual has the right to defend himself. This also violates Article 
66 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the basic standards of fair 
trial," Addameer said in its statement.

Leftist political parties and social movements from around the world 
condemned the detentions of Saafin and Jarrar, 
<http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=778107>who both have leading 
roles within the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

The Israeli army had said both women were detained for their activities 
within the PFLP, which Israel has designated as a "terrorist" 
organization, like most Palestinian political parties.

Israel uses administrative detention almost exclusively against 
Palestinians. The widely condemned Israeli policy allows for a detainee 
to be sentenced for up to six-month renewable intervals based on 
undisclosed evidence.

Although Israeli authorities claim the withholding of evidence during 
administrative detention is essential for state security concerns, 
rights groups have instead claimed the policy allows Israeli authorities 
to hold Palestinians for an indefinite period of time without showing 
any evidence that could justify their detentions.

Rights groups have claimed that Israel's administrative detention policy 
has been used as an attempt to disrupt Palestinian political and social 
processes, notably targeting Palestinian politicians, activists, and 
journalists.
-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 https://freedomarchives.org/
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