RAMALLAH, December 21, 2017 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities recently issued administrative detention orders without charge or trial against 40 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said on Thursday.

PPS attorney Mahmoud Halabi said 18 of the 40 detainees received renewed administrative detention orders, whereas the rest of them received an order for the first time.

Israel’s widely condemned policy of administrative detention allows detention of Palestinians without charge or trial for renewable intervals usually ranging between three and six months based on undisclosed evidence that even a detainee’s lawyer is barred from viewing.

“Israel‘s use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law. Israel carries it out in a highly classified manner that denies detainees the possibility of mounting a proper defense,” says Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

M.N./M.K.