Yesterday, 1 October 2017, Israeli occupation forces released female civil society leader and President of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees Khitam Saafin, who was arrested in a pre-dawn raid by Israeli occupation forces on 2 July 2017. Saafin received a three months administrative detention order, signed by the occupation military commander of the West Bank on 9 July 2017.

Khitam Saafin, 53, president of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committee has spoken internationally and participated in many worldwide events, including the World Social Forum, linking women’s struggles internationally with the struggle of Palestinian women for national and social liberation.

Approximately 450 Palestinians are currently placed under administrative detention, inclduing five female, one child and nine Palestinian Legislative Council members. This practice of arbitrary detention is a grave violation of international laws and human rights standards, particularly articles 78 and 72 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which state that an accused individual has the right to defend himself. This also violates Article 66 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the basic standards of fair trial.