Israel Rearrests Freed Palestinian Hunger Striker

Rasa - Israeli forces rearrested a Palestinian journalist who was freed from prison last year after an extended hunger strike, his family said Tuesday.

News ID: 426613

Date: 17 January 2017 - 21:08

RNA - Mohammed al-Qiq was detained Sunday night at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah on his way back from a demonstration against Israel's refusal to return the bodies of slain Palestinian assailants, said his wife Fayha Shalash, News 24 reported.

According to Shalash, Qiq's lawyer told her he was being held in Ofer prison, West of Ramallah, and "has been on hunger strike since the moment they arrested him."

In May, 34-year-old Qiq was released from a six-month prison term without trial following a 94-day hunger strike.

He occasionally took minerals and vitamins but mainly ingested only tap water.

Qiq had been held under the administrative detention system, which allows Israel to hold prisoners without trial for renewable six-month periods.

Qiq's case was widely covered, and the United Nations expressed concern about his condition during his previous time in prison.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club also said Israeli forces had arrested 20 people, 15 of them former prisoners.

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