Four more months of detention without charge for 17-year-old Amal

Israeli authorities recently decided to imprison 17-year-old Amal Nakhleh—without charge—for an additional four months despite his rare autoimmune disorder. On May 20, an Israeli military court judge approved a new administrative detention order against Amal.

Administrative detention is a form of imprisonment without charge or trial regularly used by Israeli authorities to detain Palestinians. Palestinian children held under administrative detention orders are not presented with charges, and their detention is based on secret evidence that is neither disclosed to the child nor their attorney, preventing them from preparing a legal challenge to the detention and its alleged basis. 

Read and share 17-year-old Amal's story »

Amal suffers from myasthenia gravis, a rare chronic autoimmune, neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness, including in the muscles used for breathing and swallowing. His treatment requires ongoing medical treatment and that he takes medication regularly and without interruption. 

It is unacceptable that Israeli authorities are detaining him without charge during a deadly pandemic.

Israeli authorities must either file charges against Palestinian children or release them. Administrative detention must never be used to justify the detention of children and amounts to a clear violation of fundamental due process rights.

Israeli authorities must immediately end the arbitrary detention of Palestinian children like Amal. Please share his story widely. 

Thank you for continuing to show solidarity with Palestinian children. Your support is vital in the struggle to bring peace and justice to the children of Palestine.

In solidarity,

Ayed Abu Eqtaish
Accountability Program Director
Defense for Children International - Palestine