Sunday, September 4, 2011

Hamas lawmaker jailed for 6 months under administrative detention

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- An Israeli court sentenced Hamas-affiliated lawmaker Anwar Zuboun to six months in administrative detention on Sunday, Hamas officials said.

The sentence was condemned by Hamas lawmakers as part of Israel's "arrogance and systematic crime."

Another Hamas lawmaker Sheik Hassan Yousef was detained last week at a checkpoint in Nablus, less than a month after being released from Israeli prison after six years.

Israeli forces had previously detained 120 Palestinians, mostly Hamas supporters, in Hebron on August 21 in one of the largest detention operations in the city since 2003, Palestinian security officials said.

Administrative detention entails being detained without trial or any charge.

Israel has held thousands of Palestinians in administrative detention in the past and the practice has been widely condemned by human rights groups.