Front Line learned today that detained Palestinian human rights defender Mr Mohammad Othman has had his detention period extended. On 27 October 2009 an Israeli military court ruled that Mohammad Othman's detention should be extended for an additional 13 days. Mohammad Othman has so far been held in solitary confinement for 37 days. No charges or evidence have been brought against him.

Further Information

This decision is the latest in a series of court hearings in which Mohammad Othman has had his detention renewed on four occasions. On 8 October his original detention period was renewed for a further twelve days. This decision was appealed at the Military Court of Appeals in Ofer on 14 October, when the judge declined the appeal and renewed Mohammad Othman's detention period for an additional 12 days, backdated to the 8 October hearing. On 19 October his detention was extended for a further 11 days, which culminated in the latest hearing on 27 October.

Mohammad Othman, who works for the Stop the Wall Campaign, was arrested on 22 September 2009 at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. He had been returning to Ramallah after travelling to Norway, where he took part in an advocacy tour and fulfilled a number of speaking events. At his court hearing in Kishon on 29 September, no reason was provided for Mohammad Othman's arrest, but police contended that an extension of his detention period was necessary for further interrogation.

Addameer, a prisoners' support and human rights organisation, reports that Israel has regularly used administrative detention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to facilitate the detention of community activists and human rights defenders in cases where evidence against them is insufficient to press charges. Israeli Military Order 1226 empowers military commanders to detain individuals for up to six months if they have “reasonable grounds to presume that the security of the area or public security require the detention.” As a result, activists and defenders can be placed under indefinite administrative detention, without charge or trial, for a renewable period of one to six months.

Front Line previously issued an Urgent Appeal on behalf of Mohammad Othman on 13 October 2009. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mohammad Othman.