PLC Member Khalida Jarrar‘s administrative detention order limited, trial continues

Thursday 05 May 2015 - occupied Ramallah

This morning, the defense team of Palestinian Legislative Council Member Khalida Jarrar was made aware that her administrative detention military order was limited to end on 04 May 2015. The administrative detention lasted for one month and two days.

The decision by the military commander to limit her administrative detention order indicated specifically that shortening the order does not undermine other arrest orders against Mrs. Jarrar, suggesting that the prosecution will continue to request that she is remanded until the end of her on-going trial.

The cancellation of her administrative detention order does not prevent the military prosecution to use secret information against Mrs. Jarrar to justify her remaining in detention until the end of trial.

Mrs. Khalida Jarrar was arrested on Thursday, 2 April 2015 after a raid on her home in Ramallah and received a 6-month administrative detention order on Sunday, 5 April 2015. A list of charges was also issued against her on 15 April 2015. The twelve charges against her revolve around her role as a PLC member and political leader and for her campaigning for prisoners. Addameer considers the arrest of Mrs. Jarrar to be a political one, and calls for her immediate release.

Addameer also raises concerns about the health of Mrs. Jarrar in her continued detention. Medical tests have indicated that Mrs. Jarrar has multiple ischemic infarctions and hypercholesterolemia. Based on medical records from the Palestine Medical Complex, she has been admitted to hospitalization due to epistaxis where she was treated to stop continuous bleeding. She has also been previously treated for deep vein thrombosis numerous times.

Mrs. Jarrar has had a travel ban imposed on her movement since 1998, and she has only been permitted to travel on one occasion for medical treatment in 2010, following legal proceedings and diplomatic pressure.

Addameer’s position is that the prosecution’s recent actions confirm the political nature of Mrs. Jarrar’s arrest. The prosecution appears to be exhausting all legal procedures within its power to keep Mrs. Jarrar in detention. Addameer also affirms that this is a politically motivated arrest which contravenes international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with regards to rights to political opinions and inherent civil rights.

Currently, Mrs. Jarrar is one of 12 PLC members held in detention, 6 of whom are held under administrative detention.

Khalida Jarrar is 52-years old and has been a Palestinian Legislative Council member since 2006. She also heads the subject of prisoner’s issues in the Palestinian Legislative Council, and is also deputy chairperson of the Board of Directors of Addameer.