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The court-issued detention of Khalida Jarrar and Khitam Saafin, two influential Palestine feminist activists, was extended by Ofer Israeli military judiciaries on Wednesday.
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The military court claimed it needed more time to investigate the five computers that were taken from Jarrar’s home at the time of her arrest.
Jarrar and Saafin were taken from their homes on July 2 by Israeli occupation forces for questioning. According to the women’s lawyer, Muna Naddaf, the two were interrogated for 30 minutes. Jarra's detention has been lengthened by an additional six days, while Saafin will be detained for three more days.
Issa Qaraqe, head of the Palestinian Committee of Prisoners’ Affairs, denounced Jarrar's arrest, calling it “a violation of international laws and immunity given to elected Parliament members.”
A spokeswoman for the Israeli Defense Forces told AFP that Jarrar was not arrested for her work in parliament, but for her involvement in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a leftist political party which Israeli authorities considers a “terrorist group.”
Israeli military court extends detention of Khalida Jarrar and Khitam Saafin as… https://t.co/XkIQFHIfT5 pic.twitter.com/i0XgyzA5x3
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) July 5, 2017
This is not the first arrest for Jarrar, who was released last June after serving 14 months in a national jail for her involvement in the creation of a Palestinian prisoner support network.
Saafin has worked tireless defending the rights of women as president of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees as well as a number of other women's groups. She has also participated in the World Social Forum advocating for women.
From Belgium: Women in Solidarity with Khalida Jarrar and Khitam Saafin https://t.co/w8Z6tOT2iV pic.twitter.com/2bsC1F6Hre
— Samidoun (@SamidounPP) July 5, 2017
The women’s arrests has caused uproar among international rights groups, which are planning protests in solidarity with the prisoners.
The Communist Party of Spain, the Landless Workers' Movement of Brazil, the Hellenic Union of Progressive Lawyers, the Communist Party of Brazil and several other groups are demanding their release.
Israeli officials have also detained thirteen additional Palestinian politicians, nine of which are being held without criminal charges.
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