[prisoner-rights] Israel: Prominent human rights activist being held without charge in a military detention camp

(New York, August 6, 2004) ­ Israel should immediately release `Abd al-
Latif Gheith, a prominent rights activist now being held without charge in
a military detention camp, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Human Rights Watch said that if Mr.
Gheith was suspected of violating any laws, the government should file
charges in a court that meets international standards for fair trials.

Gheith, 63 years old and board chairman of Addameer, a prisoner support
organization based in Ramallah, was detained on July 29 after security
officials questioned him at a military checkpoint about Addameer's
activities and staff. On August 4, Israel's deputy military commander
issued an order detaining Gheith without charge for six months on
unspecified grounds of "endangering security."

"Abd al-Latif Gheith shouldn't be harassed and punished simply for
actively promoting people's basic rights," said Sarah Leah Whitson,
executive director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa
Division. "He should be freed immediately unless the government can
demonstrate that he has violated some law."

Ghaith is one of the founders of Addameer, which began its work in 1992.
He is a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shufat, but was
detained under military regulations governing residents of the occupied
West Bank. He has also been active in campaigns against Israel's
construction of a "separation barrier" in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem.

Israel is presently holding around 750 Palestinians without charge under
administrative detention orders.

The letter can be found at:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/08/05/isrlpa9196.htm

Human Rights Watch Press release