Palestinian Prisoner on Hunger Strike 'Could Die Any Minute'

Khader Adnan, a Palestinian prisoner and activist, has been on a hunger strike for the past 54 days and could die any minute, his lawyer Jawad Boulus told reporters Saturday.

Adnan is under “administrative detention,” a procedure which allows Israel to detain people for periods of six months, each renewable, without filing charges or a trial. He has been held in prison 10 times under administrative detention over the past three years, for a total of six years in Israeli prisons.

Today iftar breaking fast ) infront of Ofr Prison in Solidarity with Khader Adnan Nad Pal prisoners #Palestine pic.twitter.com/wt9lQcwE1y

— manal tamimi (@screamingtamimi) June 27, 201

In 2012, Adnan was detained by Israel and held in prison without trial. Several months later, he became a symbol for activism against the illegal lengthy administrative detention in Israel when he was released after a 67-day hunger strike.

Israel is accusing Adana of being one of the leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which is labeled a terror organization by Israel.

However, his wife and other relatives have repeatedly stated that he is not involved with the group and holds no position within it. Israel has been detaining him since 1999 and has failed since then to bring any charges against him. 

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He was arrested again in July 2014 and has been in prison since. His detention was renewed several times without him facing trial. Adnan decided to go on a hunger strike on May 5.

Khader Adnan is now on his 54th day of hunger strike in Israeli prison http://t.co/8WMoV8ZNNw #Palestine pic.twitter.com/C0rFisE5RD

— Anonymous Palestine (@PalAnonymous) June 27, 201

Currently, negotiations between Boulus and Israeli military advocate general Morris Hirsch over Adnan's ending his hunger strike in return for his release are underway as they resumed Saturday night.

Boulus told a press conference that he had been called to the hospital early on Saturday morning due to Adnan's deteriorating condition. "Khader doesn't want to die and Israel is not interested in his dying," said Boulus.

The United Nations Cheif Ban Ki-moon expressed his “deep concern” over the deteriorating heath of Adnan and called upon the Israeli government to ensure his release or prosecute him according to international law.

We had our 1st day of fasting while Palestinian political prisoner #KhaderAdnan has been on hungerstrike for +40 days pic.twitter.com/4AELUFBDIy

— Ahmad Sabri (@radicalahmad) June 18, 201

"The Secretary General is deeply concerned about reports of the grave deterioration of the health of Khader Adnan, a Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike since 5 May," Ban's spokesperson Farhan Haq told a press conference in New York Friday.

"He urges the Israeli authorities to charge or release him immediately, as well as all other prisoners under administrative detention, including members of the Palestinian Legislative Council."

Haq further stressed the Secretary General's longstanding position that “all prisoners under administrative detention should be charged and face trial with judicial guarantees in accordance with international standards or be released promptly.”

The World's Humanity is melting as #KhaderAdnan contiues his hunger strike for the 55th day in a row refusing his administrative detention

— Eye on Palestine (@AYAHUMAIDM) June 28, 201

As his condition began to worsen, the Israeli authorities were forced to hospitalize Adnan while being chained to his bed. Israeli anti-occupation activists who visited him at the hospital, said he was being held with one hand and one leg cuffed to the bed 24-hours a day and three police in his room around the clock.  

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