Israel holds over 1,200 detainees without charge. That’s the most in 3 decades, a rights group says

By JULIA FRANKEL
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — A rights group says that Israel is holding 1,201 detainees without charge or trial, nearly all of them Palestinians, the highest number in over three decades. The detainees are held under a shadowy designation Israel dubs “administrative detention.” The Israeli authorities keep the evidence and charges against detainees a secret, which rights groups say makes it nearly impossible for them or their lawyers to challenge detentions in court. Jessica Montell, the executive director of the rights group Hamoked that published the figures on Tuesday, says the detentions can range from a few months to years — and authorities often extend terms for unknown reasons.