The Israeli Ofer court extended the detention of the Palestinian journalist Mohamed al-Qeiq for another 72 hours paving the way for placing him in administrative detention.
Al-Qeiq’s family said the Israeli occupation authorities have cracked down on the detainee on account of his involvement in West Bank campaigns and protests advocating prisoners’ rights.
The family added that such oppressive measures against al-Qeiq aim to quash his anti-occupation activism.
Al-Qeiq was quoted by his lawyer as vowing to start an open-ended hunger strike in case he is placed in administrative detention.
Al-Qeiq was re-arrested on Sunday January 15 2017 as he joined an event in Bethlehem speaking up for Palestinian detainees.
On November 25 2015 al-Qeiq had launched a 94-day hunger strike in protest at being held in Israeli jails with neither charge nor trial and mistreated by the Israeli wardens. He was released on May 19 2016 following a deal that ended his hunger strike.
