Letter-writing campaign in solidarity with student prisoner

On March 29, a community dinner and letter-writing night in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners was hosted by the Toronto Anarchist Black Cross Federation & Teachers for Palestine in Toronto, Canada. Dozens of letters were sent to administrative detainee, Arafat Daoud, his family, and to the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association, as well as to several Palestinian women detainees. This was the first event in what they hope will be a larger international campaign against administrative detentions and human rights abuses.

Arafat Daoud is a third-year sociology student at Birzeit University. He was first detained without charge in 2004 where he was subjected to harsh interrogation without a lawyer and isolation. This was the first of three detention periods that have effectively interrupted the completion of his studies. On 9 March 2009 Mr. Daoud’s detention order was renewed for a second time and he remains in Negev Prison without charge.

The Right to Education Campaign encourages other human rights and solidarity groups to join letter-writing campaigns in support of Palestinian prisoners.
For more information please contact right2edu@birzeit.edu and see www.addameer.org.

* SAMPLE LETTER to International Bar Association *

Fiona Paterson
Director of Human Rights Institute
International Bar Association
10th Floor
1Stephen St
London, W1T 1AT
United Kingdom

March 29, 2009

Dear Ms. Paterson,

I am writing to you today about the case of a Palestinian student and administrative detainee in an Israeli prison, Arafat Morad Mohammad Daoud.

Mr. Daoud was a third-year sociology student at Birzeit University when he was first detained without charge in 2004. He was subjected to harsh interrogation without a lawyer and isolation. This was the first of three detention periods that have effectively interrupted the completion of his studies. On 9 March 2009 Mr. Daoud’s detention order was renewed for a second time and he remains in Negev Prison without charge.

Administrative Detention is a system of incarceration without charge, where secret evidence from Israeli intelligence is shown to the military judge and used to justify incarceration for a period up to six months, on a renewable basis. The grounds raised are not communicated to the detainee or to his or her lawyer. The mental suffering caused by not knowing the grounds for detention can amount to torture as defined under Article 1 of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Being isolated for long periods of time is also considered to be a form of torture. Furthermore, Administrative Detention breaches Article 9 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which state that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

I understand that the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute is dedicated to promoting the rule of law worldwide. Administrative Detention clearly falls short of any form of proper juridical procedure because it is arbitrary and not transparent. I urge the Human Rights Institute and the members of the International Bar Association to pressure the Israeli Bar Association to ensure that all subjects under Israeli jurisdiction be treated according to the basic principles of rule of law. Please use your voice to call for Mr. Daoud and other administrative detainees to be released or properly charged.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

CC: Chairs of the Council, Ambassador Emilio Cardenas (Argentina)
Justice Richard Goldstone (South Africa)

* SAMPLE LETTERS to administrative detainee and his family *

Letter in solidarity with administrative detainee, Arafat Daoud, and in support of his resolve to continue his studies upon his release.

Letter to the mother of Arafat, expressing solidarity with her situation as well as that of her son’s.

One of 10 personal letters written in support of Arafat Daoud and his family.

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