Palestinian MPs sentenced to extra six months without indictment

[ 13/04/2011 - 03:16 PM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)-- Israel extended Tuesday night the prison terms of Palestinian lawmakers Hatem Qufeisha and Omar al-Barghouti by six months to be served in administrative detention without an indictment, the Tadhamon human rights group in the West Bank reported. Hatem Qufeisha, who represents Al-Khalil in the Palestinian Legislative Council, appeared before the Ofer military court in the West Bank and was slapped with an additional six months for the second time since he was arrested on October 18, 2010. Israel is holding 13 members of the PLC, the most recent of whom is MP Mohammed Mahir Badr, who was detained about two weeks back, Tadhamon researcher Ahmed al-Beitawi said in a fresh statement. The same night, the military tribunals ruled for the second straight instance that Omar al-Barghouti would spend the next six months in administrative detention. He has spent a total of 22 years in Israeli jails. He was arrested from his home in Kober near Ramallah after being released from his last term early 2008. Charges have yet to be placed against him. According to the international campaign to free captured MPs, a hearing will be held on April 14 to transfer Palestinian MP Mohammed Mahir Badr to administrative detention. The group has condemned the move and called the abduction of Palestinian public officials a political ”farce”, calling on parliaments across the world to put an end to such practice.