RAMALLAH: Imprisoned Palestinian hunger striker Ayman Sharawna's mother launched a solidarity hunger strike, Addameer Prisoner Support Network announced on Sunday. The 37-year-old Sharawna was released in the October 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange that resulted in the freedom of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier. He was, however, rearrested shortly after, and has since been held in administrative detention, a legal practice in which Israel imprisons Palestinians on “secret evidence" with neither charge nor trial. According to Ma'an News Agency, Sharawna's first hunger strike lasted just short of six months, stretching from July 1, 2012 till December 23. He began another hunger strike on January 1, but stopped just two days later after being told that he had an upcoming court date. Now that this has been understood to be inaccurate, Sharawna has re-launched his hunger strike, though the exact date of which is still unknown. At least three additional prisoners are presently on hunger strike: Samer Al-Issawi, who has been on hunger strike for some 209 days; and Tarek Qa'adan and Jafar Ezzedine, who have gone without food for 82 days. All three are administrative detainees. According to Addameer's most recent statistics, 4,743 Palestinians are presently being held in prison. 178 of those were in administrative detention, an archaic procedure in which detainees are held with neither charge nor trial. 193 were children, 23 of which were under 16-years-old. 191 had Israeli citizenship. 12 were members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. BN
