United Nations – A UN official has denounced Israel’s holding of a formerly-convicted Palestinian terrorist who has undertaken a prolonged hunger strike while on administrative detention as “egregious.”
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“I am deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of Palestinian detainee Bilal Kayed, after 67 days of a hunger strike protesting his detention without charge or trial,” said Robert Piper, the UN’s Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Kayed, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was arrested in 2002 and placed on administrative detention in June after serving a sentence of more than 14 years.
“This is an egregious case, in which Mr. Kayed was placed on administrative detention on the day of his scheduled release after completing a 14.5 year prison sentence,” Piper said on Saturday.
Piper denounced the contested Israeli practice of administrative detention, citing the United Nation’s “long-standing position that all administrative detainees – Palestinian or Israeli – should be charged or released without delay.”
“The number of administrative detainees is at an eight-year high,” he alleged.
Under administrative detention Israeli authorities can keep suspects behind bars without formal charges or a trial for up to six months with the possibly of extension by a judge’s order.
Kayed’s hunger strike has allegedly gained traction among other Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons who have also undertaken a hunger strike in solidarity with him, according to Piper. Protests have been held outside Barzilai Medical Center in Asheklon, where he is being held.
A hearing in the Supreme Court on Kayed’s release is reportedly set for Monday, according to a senior Palestinian prisoners’ affairs official.
waiting for the UN to say something about the fact that Jews are NOT allowed in Palestinian towns, that Jews are considered second class citizens in all Arab countries, that NO S’fardi Jew ever got recompensation from the Arab countries for his property, etc….
wrong caption – pls change to united ARAB Nations. there is no UN anymore – it belongs to the ARABS – it just happens to be in New York.
UN is became Arab pro-terrorist tool of propaganda.
the UN is a joke. It is used to whip Israel only…