OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– Banished Jerusalem MP Muhammad Abu Tir has been sentenced Monday to six months in administrative detention in a ruling by an Israeli military court.
According to the Gaza Prisoners’ Affairs Ministry Israel is holding prisoner some 17 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council in administrative detention without formal charges.
Abu Tir’s attorney told the PIC that the decision came after a recommendation from Israel’s internal intelligence agency Shin Bet adding that the defense is waiting for a court date for the ruling to be implemented so an appeal can be made.
The decision has already received condemnation by Palestinian politicians and rights groups.
A joint statement by PLC members from the Hamas party added that Abu Tir was also blocked from meeting with his attorney Osama al-Saadi.
The international Free PLC rights group in Gaza also condemned the arrest pointing the finger at world silence which it said provided Israel with immunity from being prosecuted on the international level.
The Gaza Prisoners’ Affairs Ministry released a fresh statement on Tuesday reporting that Israel is currently holding 20 members of the PLC prisoner adding that 17 of them are being held in administrative detention.
Of those politicians 17 are from the Hamas party 2 are from Fatah and one is from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine the ministry’s media director Riyadh al-Ashqar said adding that Israel has resorted to administrative detention when unable to find charges.
In 2006 the Israeli occupation authorities arrested some two thirds of the PLC and has been seeking prosecution of them since. The arrests came after Hamas gained dominance in the Palestinian legislative elections.
