Nasser, 42, was arrested on October 15 in a nighttime raid by armed soldiers and attack dogs on his house in the village of Saffa in the Ramallah district. According to Physicians for Human Rights, Nasser was taken into custody after a prolonged search in his house and a brief interrogation, during which his wife and four children were held at gunpoint in a different room.

His interrogation by Shin Bet agents went on for 39 days, with sessions lasting up to 20 hours a day, all through which Nasser had his hands tied to the back of the chair and his legs tied to the legs of the chair. Nasser later reported to his lawyers that throughout this period he was held in isolation, he did not receive sufficient medical care for his pain nor for the lapses of disorientation from which he suffered. PHR has so far not been allowed to send an independent doctor to examine Nasser.

About a week ago, the military prosecution filed an indictment with fairly mild accusations against Nasser. The main charge was his alleged membership in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is considered an illegal organization by Israel. Evidence for this membership is derived from the other four charges, which state that Nasser allegedly assisted in organizing and participating in two “illegal” PFLP rallies in Ramallah, one in support of Palestinian prisoners, and the other in memory of former PFLP leader, Abu-Ali Mustafa, assassinated by Israel in 2001.

Nasser, who works as a researcher for Addameer, rejects accusations of membership in the PFLP, stating that he had no part in the Mustafa rally. He confirmed his participation in the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day rally – which was not a PFLP event but rather a national day of protest and solidarity and has been for quite some time. This year’s rally took place in the midst of a prolonged hunger strike of administrative detainees in Israeli prisons, and marked the start of a new collective hunger strike of more than 1,000 prisoners. Nasser called for all factions of Palestinian society take part in the prisoners’ day.

Ayman Nasser (courtesy of Addameer)

“The evidence the army has really amounts to nothing,” says Nasser’s attorney Mahmud Hassan. “They have but two main witnesses. One admits to having taken part in planning the Abu Ali Mustafa event, and only says that he consulted Ayman on his planned speech at the rally, which Ayman told him was too extreme. The second witness says he told Ayman about a planned shooting attack (on Israelis, H.M.), for which Ayman yelled at him and told him he mustn’t go through with it.

“This is all they have after a long investigation, when for weeks they got the detention warrant prolonged solely on their statement that they suspected him of armed resistance – even though there is not a shred of evidence of anything like that in the file, and the indictment we now see has no mention of it. So yes, he did participate in the Prisoners’ Day rally, but that is an official national and public event, and who better to go there than a worker from Addammeer?”

In the passing weeks, Addameer and PHR have voiced their concerns that Nasser’s arrest is an assault on human rights defenders, in blatant disregard for international treaties. The two NGOs have for the past year been leading campaigns in support of Palestinian prisoners such as Ayman Sharawni - who is now on the 153rd day of his hunger strike - in the face of multiple hunger strikes within Israeli prisons.

“Ayman is a colleague of ours,” says Amani Dayef from PHR, “perhaps it is easier to pick on an NGO in the West Bank than it is on an Israeli NGO, but it is still an attempt to hinder the struggle for prisoners’ rights. As in other cases, we see how part of the interrogation process is to isolate a detainee from all outside contact, including physicians, and even at the cost of lesser medical care. We plan to file an appeal and demand to allow an outside doctor to see him.”

Nasser’s lawyer has filed an appeal against the latest resolution by the military court to prolong his detention until the end of proceedings. The appeal will be heard on December 17.

The IDF spokesperson unit has directed all questions regarding Nasser to the Shin Bet security service (Shabak), which issued the following response: “Ayman Nasser has been arrested on suspicion of activity within the PFLP. During his interrogation his was examined several times by a physician who found his medical condition allows for further interrogation. Medical instructions given by the examining doctor were followed to the full.

“Nasser’s claims regarding torture have no grounds to stand on! His interrogation was carried in accordance with the law, and he received all the rights which he deserves.

“Following the end of his interrogation Nasser, was and charged with membership in the terrorist organization PFLP, which is an illegal organization, and with offering this organization services and partaking in its rallies. The military court has ordered his detention until the end of legal proceedings.”

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Israeli forces arrest Palestinian prisoners’ rights worker in West Bank
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day: Hundreds join hunger strike
Visualizing Occupation: Palestinian Prisoners’ Day – the numbers

Palestinian Prisoners’ Day was commemorated today in the occupied territories and Israeli prisons in a fashion far more intensive than in previous years. More than two thirds of the 4,635 prisoners held by Israel (of whom 320 are administrative detainees and 183 are minors) returned their meals today, according to the Israeli Prison Service, and about a quarter of those declared they will continue with their hunger strike until their terms are met (see below). Eight “flytilla” activists awaiting deportation and held in custody also refused to eat today in solidarity with the Palestinian inmates. Two detainees who have been striking for over 40 days are in the hospital and their condition is deteriorating.

Meanwhile thousands protested today in Gaza, Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm and Qalqilya, showing solidarity with the prisoners and calling for their release. Fatah leader Abbas Zaki proclaimed “There will be no peace and no safety without releasing all prisoners from Israeli jails.” After the central demonstration in Ramallah hundreds of people went to protest near the Ofer military prison, were political prisoners are held, and were dispersed by the Israeli army with tear gas and the “skunk” water canon.

Prisoners' Day demonstration in Ramallah (Hamde Abu)

The year of the prisoners

Over the past year the question of prisoners took the forefront in Palestinian politics, and at times even in the otherwise uninterested Israeli public, mainly due to the Schalit prisoner swap which finally took place last October. Little before the deal was struck there was one collective hunger strike of about 100 prisoners, followed up in the beginning of 2012 with Khader Adnan’s 66 day long hunger strike. Israel secured a deal with administrative detainee Adnan, and he was released today in a warm welcome as part of the Prisoners’ Day protest. Adnan’s strike was shortly followed by administrative detainee Hana Shalabi, who after 43 days of hunger strike, and in grave risk of her life, was released and deported to Gaza, banned from returning to her home in the West Bank. Shalabi played a central role in the protest in Gaza today.

These two major hunger strikes drew international attention to the issue of administrative detainees, held without charge or trial, and led many other detainees to join the protest. Bilal Diab (27) and Tha’ir Khekhle (34) have passed the 40-day mark of their hunger strike, and are now in the IPS hospital. Diad has been in detention for eight months now, and Khlekhle – more than two years. He has not yet seen his 22-month old baby, born after his detention. The two are examined regularly by Physicians for Human Rights doctors, and the NGO has expressed concern over their condition, calling for their immediate release.

The new strike, however, focuses on wider issues than the arbitrary detention, much like the strike that took place about six months ago. Prisoners are demanding a cancelation of new restrictions placed little before the Schalit swap, which, on top of existing discrimination between criminal and political prisoners, include an increased use of the solitary confinement of prominent leaders; a ban on Arabic newspapers, books and television; a halt on the transfer of funds from family members to prisoners, necessary for many basic food products, cigarettes and more; and discontinuing academic studies of the prisoners in Israel’s Open University, which enables distance learning. Prisoners ended the last strike as they were hoping Schalit’s release would bring an end to these new policies – but were disappointed. The question remains how long the new collective hunger strike can last, and what effects it will have on Israeli and international public opinion.

Also on the topic of prisoners – conscientious objector Noam Gur, imprisoned yesterday for refusing to join the army, refused today to wear her prison army-uniform, and is now in solitary confinement. More updates on her condition will follow.

Read also:
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day: The numbers
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day: Bassem Tamimi, over a year in prison
Khader Adnan agrees to stop hunger strike in exchange for April release 

Tamimi was arrested in his home on March 24, 2011 for organizing protests and inciting against Israel, based on testimony by Islam Dar Ayyoub, a 14-year old resident of Nabi Saleh who was taken from him home in the middle of the night by Israeli forces for interrogation. His military trial is still ongoing.

Tamimi has been arrested by Israel a total of 11 times and spent around three years in administrative detention, but never convicted of an offense. Amnesty International has declared him a prisoner of conscience and called for his release.

This photograph was taken of him in his home yesterday, April 16, after he was permitted a temporary release from prison for 48 hours to visit his mother in the hospital, who suffered a stroke.

Bassem Tamimi in his home (Photo: Keren Manor/Activestills)

Read Bassem Tamimi’s statement to the military court nearly a year ago here, in which he explains his motivations for civil disobedience and fight for justice.

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WATCH: Army attacks protestors, journalists, in Nabi Saleh
Nabi Saleh: A tiny village’s struggle against the occupation