Palestinian security forces have arrested Mohammed Bishkar, a recently released prisoner from Nablus, after summoning him for interrogation.
Bishkar, who was freed in a recent prisoner exchange deal with Israel, was among the young detainees deprived of their education due to years of imprisonment. Now, he is striving to complete his high school studies.
His arrest, occurring so soon after his release from Israeli captivity, raises fundamental human rights and ethical concerns. Former prisoners, who have endured the hardships of unjust imprisonment under an occupying force, should be granted the opportunity to rebuild their lives. Instead, they find themselves subjected to a new cycle of persecution, this time at the hands of authorities who should be protecting them.
This pattern of arbitrary detention violates international law, particularly Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to liberty and security and explicitly prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention.
What exacerbates the situation is the lack of clear charges, rendering these arrests akin to Israel’s administrative detention policy, which has long been condemned by rights organisations. However, in this case, the detaining authority should represent and defend Palestinian rights, turning this violation into a betrayal of justice.
The escalation of politically motivated arrests in the West Bank is deeply concerning, with dozens of activists and former prisoners having been summoned or detained in recent weeks. Such measures are widely viewed as an attempt to suppress dissent and silence voices critical of the political status quo.
Under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (1984), all forms of arbitrary detention or degrading treatment are strictly prohibited. States—and by extension, local authorities—are obligated to safeguard individuals from violations of their fundamental rights. Therefore, any arrest based on political affiliation or expression constitutes a direct breach of international law.
The detention of Mohammed Bishkar serves as a stark example of the dual oppression Palestinians endure, caught between occupation forces and internal repression. This reality demands urgent intervention from human rights bodies and the international community, ensuring such injustices are exposed and prevented from recurring.
