Addameer - Ramallah: The Israeli occupation forces released today, Thursday 28 February 2019, the former member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Palestinian human rights defender Khalida Jarrar, after spending 20 months in administrative detention. Addameer confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces released Khalida Jarrar in the early hours today’s morning at the Salem checkpoint in the North of the West Bank.

The Israeli occupation forces arrested Jarrar in July 2017 after storming her house Al-Bireh and later transferred her to administrative detention for six months. Jarrar's administrative detention order was renewed for an additional six months in December 2017, then for another four months before the end of her second detention and, once again in October 2018 for four months more, expiring today. Thus, Jarrar has spent nearly 20 months in administrative detention, without trial and based on secret information. This is a clear example of the arbitrary detention policy practiced systematically by the occupation authorities against Palestinians, including human rights defenders and members of the Legislative Council. It is noteworthy that Khalida Jarrar is an activist in the defence of the Palestinian prisoners’ rights. She headed the prisoners committee in the Palestinian Legislative Council and has a prominent community and legal activity in this area.

Once again, Addameer calls upon all actors in the international community and human rights organizations to intensify their efforts in pressuring the Israeli occupation authorities to stop the policy of administrative detention, which constitutes a violation of the principles of fair trial. In addition to release all administrative detainees, including the female detainee Fida Daamas and to end the systematic repression against Palestinian human rights defenders and ensure respect for their rights, enshrined under international law.