Indefinite jail without trial? That's Israeli justice

The year 2015 has thus far brought little that is good to the Palestinians, and the rest of the year promises little better.

The Israeli occupation is likely to continue its routine violations of Palestinian rights. But Israel's dramatically increased use of administrative detention does stand out, even among all this doom and gloom.

As of February this year, there were reportedly 424 Palestinians held under administrative detention orders - more than double the 181 held at the same time last year.

Israel issued administrative detention orders against 81 Palestinians since the beginning of March 2015, said the Palestinian Prisoners' Club on Tuesday.

As of February this year, 424 Palestinians were held under administrative detention orders, more than double the 181 held at the same time last year.

In a press release, the group said prisoners had received detention orders without charge or trial, 13 of whom were on repeat orders. Statistics show that over the years, thousands of Palestinians were held in Israeli custody as administrative detainees for extended periods of time.

B'Tselem, the Israeli information centre for human rights, said: "International law stipulates that it may be exercised only in very exceptional cases - and then only as a last possible resort, when there are no other available means - to prevent the danger."

Last Monday, an Israeli put the Palestinian parliamentarian and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Khalida Jarrar, on a six-month period of administrative detention, the PPC said.

Israeli forces arrested Jarrar after they broke into her home Thursday night near Ramallah.

The Israeli army spokesman said that the occupation forces had attempted to issue a restraining order to Jarrar because of "incitement to terrorist activities", and she had not complied.

The association of prisoners said Jarrar was the eighth Palestinian to be held on administrative detention this month.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Centre for Studies, Israeli authorities have issued 319 orders of administrative detention against Palestinians since the beginning of 2015, six times more than they did in the same period last year.

The statistics suggest a considerable increase in the imprisonment of Palestinians by Israel, without charges and processes, despite repeated promises to limit the practice in accordance with international standards.

Is anyone who matters listening?

We are concerned at the continued and increasing time use of administrative detention against Palestinians by Israeli authorities. -Ravina Shamdasani

Ravina Shamdasani, a UN spokeswoman, said: "We are concerned at the continued and increasing time use of administrative detention against Palestinians by Israeli authorities.

"Administrative detainees are held without charge or trial, often on the basis of secret evidence, for periods of up to six months, which are extendable indefinitely.

"We call, once again, on Israel to end its practice of administrative detention and to either release without delay or to promptly charge all administrative detainees and prosecute them with all the judicial guarantees required by international human rights law and standards."

Israel says its use of the custody orders are necessary to prevent attacks. Some Israeli politicians ghave however denounced them as "draconian".

"The state of Israel should be ashamed of the draconian regime of administrative detentions, which is unparalleled in any democracy," sai Aida Touma-Suliman, a member of the Arab Joint List party.