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Arbitrary detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi

Status: 
Arbitrary Detention
About the situation

On 16 September 2020, the Ofer Military Court granted bail to woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi, which it set at 2000 NIS (approximately 500 EUR). The defender is due to be released on 17 September 2020.

On 13 September 2020, the Military Court of Salem renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi until 16 September 2020 for investigative purposes.

On 2 September 2020, the Military Court of Salem rescheduled the hearing session of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi to 8 September 2020.

On 27 August 2020, the Beth Tikvah prison administration renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi for an extra seven days.

On 6 August 2020, the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi was extended by an additional eight days. The defender has been in solitary confinement in the Beth Tikvah detention centre since being arbitrarily detained, without an arrest warrant, on 4 August 2020.

About Tasneem Al-Qadi

Tasneem Al-Qadi is a Palestinian woman human rights defender, working with the organisation International Federation for Rights and Development, which monitors human rights violations and development issues. She is also a blogger on social media, with her advocacy focusing on the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisoners, and on the rights of Palestinian women.

16 September 2020
Tasneem Al-Qadi to be released on bail

On 16 September 2020, the Ofer Military Court granted bail to woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi, which it set at 2000 NIS (approximately 500 EUR). The defender is due to be released on 17 September 2020. Tasneem Al-Qadi has been detained since 4 August 2020, her detention has been frequently renewed for investigative purposes.

15 September 2020
Tasneem Al-Qadi’s preventive detention renewed

On 13 September 2020, the Military Court of Salem renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi until 16 September 2020 for investigative purposes.

On 3 September 2020, Tasneem Al-Qadi was transferred from Beth Tikvah detention centre to Al-Jalama prison, located in Israel. The transfer breaches international humanitarian law, as the Geneva Convention IV prohibits the transfer of prisoners across territories. Tasneem Al-Qadi reported that she was verbally abused and subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment during her detention, including several days of forced sleep deprivation. The woman human rights defender has been detained for investigative purposes since 4 August 2020, the Military Court of Salem has periodically renewed her detention.

 

4 September 2020
Hearing session of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi rescheduled

On 2 September 2020, the Military Court of Salem rescheduled the hearing session of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi to 8 September 2020.

On 1 September 2020, the woman human rights defender met her lawyer for the first time since her detention on 4 August 2020. According to the lawyer, Tasneem Al-Qadi faced ill-treatment during her detention; she was interrogated for long hours, she was not allowed to leave the interrogation chair for long hours, and she was threatened by the interrogators to be put under administrative detention which can last for months without charges.

28 August 2020
Renewal of arbitrary detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi

On 27 August 2020, the Beth Tikvah prison administration renewed the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi for an extra seven days. The ban on family and lawyer visits was also renewed. The Ofer Military Court refused an appeal against the renewal order submitted to it by her lawyer.

The woman human rights defender has been in arbitrary detention since 4 August 2020. Since being detained she has not been permitted to contact her family or lawyer. Her family are deeply concerned about her health and well being, given Beth Tikvah prison is known for its inhumane conditions.

 

12 August 2020
Arbitrary detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi

On 6 August 2020, the detention of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi was extended by an additional eight days. The defender has been in solitary confinement in the Beth Tikvah detention centre since being arbitrarily detained, without an arrest warrant, on 4 August 2020.

Download the Urgent Appeal

Tasneem Al-Qadi is a Palestinian woman human rights defender, working with the organisation International Federation for Rights and Development, which monitors human rights violations and development issues. She is also a blogger on social media, with her advocacy focusing on the rights of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisoners, and on the rights of Palestinian women.

On 4 August 2020 at approximately 4:00 am, several Israeli soldiers raided the family home of Tasneem Al-Qadi in Ramallah. The soldiers searched and reportedly vandalised the house, confiscating her laptop and phone, before arresting her. The defender was taken to the Beth Tikvah detention centre where she was interrogated and placed in solitary confinement, where she remains at the time of writing. Her family were only made aware of her whereabouts hours after she was initially arrested, and were deeply concerned when they were informed that she was being held in the Beth Tikvah detention centre, as it is known for its inhumane conditions, and torturing and mistreating prisoners.

On 6 August 2020, the authorities of the detention centre extended the detention of Tasneem Al-Qadi for an additional eights days, citing the need for further investigations. The defenderhas been denied contact with her family or her lawyer since being detained over a week ago. She has not yet been made aware of any charges against her.

Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned regarding the arbitrary arrest and the well being of woman human rights defender Tasneem Al-Qadi. Front Line Defenders believes that her arrest was in reprisal for her peaceful and legitimate human rights activities in Palestine, defending the rights of women and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.