On 21 December 2009, a military court in Jerusalem extended the detention period of Mr Jamal Juma for an additional four days in order to provide for interrogation. The hearing followed Jamal Juma's arrest and detention on 15 December by Israeli security forces. Jamal Juma is a well known human rights defender, and founding member of a number of Palestinian NGOs and civil society organisations. He has been the Coordinator of the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign since 2002.

At midnight on the night of 15 December 2009, Jamal Juma was summoned by Israeli security forces for questioning. Some hours later, they brought him back to his home and kept him handcuffed in front of his wife and three children while soldiers searched his home over the course of two hours. It was reported that as the soldiers left the house, they told Jamal Juma's wife that she would only see him again through a prisoner exchange. Jamal Juma has been held in detention since then and has not been allowed to speak to a lawyer or his family; no explanation was given for his arrest.

At a hearing at Moskobiyyeh Interrogation Center, a military court in West Jerusalem, on 21 December, the judge declined a request to extend his detention for an additional 14 days, instead granting an extension of four days to provide more time for interrogation. This decision was based on “secret information” made available to the judge by the Israeli Security Agency, to which the Jamal Juma had no access. His lawyer, Fathi Shbeitah, argued that the military court did not have jurisdiction over her client; and that as a resident of East Jerusalem, Jamal Juma should have appeared before an Israeli civil court. However, the police replied that they had received authority from both the Jerusalem Public Prosecutor's office and the military prosecution to interrogate Jamal Juma under military orders.

According to Fathi Shbeitah, the Israeli police did not provide clear allegations at the hearing, but made vague accusations about Jamal Juma’s alleged involvement in activities supporting terror and threatening the security of the state. So far, no charges have been made. Jamal Juma's next hearing is scheduled for Thursday 24 December at 9.30am, at Moskobiyyeh court. He remains without access to his lawyer after a ban on visits by lawyers imposed by a court decision on 17 December, and there is no information about the conditions in which he is detained.

Jamal Juma's detention follows that of his colleague from the Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, Mr Mohammad Othman, who has been held in administrative detention since 22 September 2009. After numerous extensions of his detention period, his release is scheduled for today, 22 December. Front Line believes that the arrest and detention of Jamal Juma is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights, particularly in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Front Line sees this as forming part of a pattern of ongoing harassment against Palestinian human rights defenders, and is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Jamal Juma and of all defenders in the region.

Front Line urges the Israeli authorities to:

1.Immediately and unconditionally release Jamal Juma, as Front Line believes that he is being held solely as a result of his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights;

2.Ensure that the treatment of Jamal Juma, whilst in detention, adheres to all those conditions set out in the “Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners”, adopted by General Assembly Resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990”;

3.Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Jamal Juma and other Palestinian human rights defenders;

4.Ensure that all human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, carrying out their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, are able to operate without fear of reprisal, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.