MOHAMMED AL-QIQ

Early day motion 1033, tabled 28 January 2016 by Martyn Day (Scottish National Party). Signed by 17 members.

That this House notes with alarm that on 27 January 2016 the Israeli High Court ruled that Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qiq will remain in custody, despite his health condition being critical as a result of being on hunger strike for 63 days in protest of his detention without trial; expresses concern at Israel's ongoing practice of administrative detention, used as a punitive measure wherein Palestinians are being held for extended periods without being charged or permitted to stand trial; believes that this practice is in breach of a number of relevant international agreements and conventions, including the 4th Geneva Convention; further notes that Israel's administrative detention policy includes the practice of deporting Palestinian prisoners from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to Israel and the denial of regular family visits; further expresses the view that extensive detention without charge or trial amounts to inhumane, degrading and unjust punishment of prisoners; acknowledges the request from Mohammed al-Qiq for immediate international intervention on his case; regrets the Government's lack of any meaningful or substantive action against administrative detention which has led to hunger strikes; and furthermore calls on the Government to make renewed and increased representations to insist the Israeli government cancel this policy immediately, restore rights to all Palestinian prisoners, and to either release or charge and bring to trial Palestinian detainees.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 9, Labour 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, Green 1, Liberal Democrat 1.