Press Release - March 04, 1999
On Thursday, 4 March, the Israeli intelligence apparatus renewed the administrative detention order for Ussama Barhum for the twelfth consecutive time. Barhum is the longest serving Palestinian administrative detainee in Israeli prisons. He was arrested on the 17 September 1994 and a military appeal court has rejected his application for release twice in the last year. Last year his administrative order was reduced from 6 months to 3 months but a few days before this period ended his administrative detention order was renewed for another 6 months. Such an incident proves that the Israeli judicial apparatus is not independent from interference by the Israeli security apparatus.

 

The Israeli High Court of Justice had assigned a hearing to look into his case but before this hearing the Israeli intelligence offered Barhum a 3-year deportation outside of the country. This was strongly rejected by Barhum and his administrative detention order was then renewed for the twelfth time.

The unjust nature of administrative detention and its total contradiction with human rights principles is demonstrated in the use of classified evidence, which the detainee or his legal representative is not allowed to see. The period of detention is determined through the use of this secret evidence. The right of appeal is taken in front of a military court, but the classified nature of this evidence prevents a fair and just trial. Long experience has proven that the Israeli security apparatus is the real judge concerning matters of appeal and sentencing.

 

Addameer organization views the continued administrative detention of Barhum with great concern. This case is one of the longest periods of administrative detention and for this reason Addameer is launching a campaign seeking local and international support.