ACTION: Hunger Striker to be Detained until April (UA 31/12)

Yesterday we heard that a political activist that was due to have an appeal against his imprisonment will now remain in detention until April. The appeal was cancelled at the last minute and his life remains in danger.

If you are a Twitter user, please raise awareness by using #khaderadnan and #StopAD.

If you would like help writing your letter please don't hesitate to contact us on iar@amnesty.org.uk. If this is your first letter and you'd like us to look over it feel free to email it to us first.

You will also find attached three documents which make up the amazing resource that is the Participation Guide which will answer any questions you may have about the Network and how it works. This can also be downloaded at the bottom of the page on www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent

ISRAEL

Khader Adnan (m)

An Israeli Supreme Court hearing on 21 February on Palestinian hunger striker Khader Adnan’s appeal against his administrative detention was cancelled. He will remain in detention until 17 April. He has ended his hunger strike but his life remains in danger.

On 21 February 2012, an Israeli Supreme Court hearing on Khader Adnan's appeal against his administrative detention order was cancelled at the last minute, after an agreement between his lawyer and the state prosecution. The Israeli authorities have reportedly agreed not to extend Khader Adnan’s four-month detention order unless “significant” new evidence emerges, and also to count the days he served in detention before the order was issued on 10 January. He is now due to be released on 17 April.

After this agreement was announced, Khader Adnan suspended the 66-day hunger strike which he began the day after his arrest on 17 December 2011. He is still held in Ziv hospital in northern Israel under constant armed guard, and still shackled to his hospital bed, despite commitments by the Israel Prison Service to remove the shackles. The non-governmental organization Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, whose doctors have been monitoring Khader Adnan’s health, note that his life remains in danger as he starts the complex recovery process.

Khader Adnan's family members were given permits by the Israeli authorities to visit him three times since his arrest and last.visited him on 19 February. The family is currently waiting for a new permit to visit him again.

Please write immediately in English, Hebrew or your own language:

* Calling on the Israeli authorities to immediately release Khader Adnan and other Palestinians held in administrative detention, unless they are promptly charged with internationally recognizable criminal offences and brought to trial in full conformity with international fair trial standards;

* Urging the Israeli authorities to remove Khader Adnan’s shackles, which constitute cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment given his medical condition, and stressing that he should not be punished in any way for his hunger strike;

* Expressing concern for Khader Adnan's health and safety, and urging that he be given specialized medical treatment, including consultation with independent medical professionals, and allowed regular private visits by his family and lawyers;

* Calling on the Israeli authorities to end the use of administrative detention.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 5 APRIL 2012 TO:  (Time difference = GMT + 2 hrs / BST + 1 hrs)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
Ehud Barak        
Ministry of Defence
37 Kaplan Street, Hakirya        
Tel Aviv 61909, Israel        
Fax: 00972 3 69 16940 / 62757
Salutation: Dear Minister