Brussels, 17/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - Concerned by the health of several Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton called on the Israeli government on Friday 14 September to do all in its power to preserve the health of Samer al-Barq and Hassan Safadi, held in administrative detention without charge. Ashton also said that she was closely following the case of Ayman Sharawna.
She additionally expressed the EU's long held concern about the extensive use by Israel of administrative detention orders. The head of European diplomacy urged all sides to abide by the terms of the agreement reached between the Israeli prison authorities and prisoner representatives on 14 May 2012.
Safadi and al-Barq have been on hunger strike - the former since the end of May, and the latter since the end of June - to denounce administrative detention, which permits detention without charge or judgment for six months, and which is renewable for an indefinite period. The agreement of 14 May should lead to the release of detainees on administrative detention at the end of their period of detention. However, Safadi's detention has been renewed. (CG/transl.fl)