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EOHR demands immediate release of Egyptian students detained in Israel
16/9/2004
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) today received a response from the Palestinian Ittijah Organisation concerning the six Egyptians detained in Israeli prisons.
In his letter Ittijah Secretary General Amir Makhoul said: "According to the information we have, the six are currently being detained in Bir Sabaa and may soon be transferred to Ramla.
Lawyers from the Friends of Detainees and Prisoners Association attempted to visit them but were prevented from doing so for "security" reasons claiming that the lawyers do not know the prisoners' names and have not been appointed to act on their behalf.
As for the charges leveled against them, the Israeli media states (on the basis of security reports) that the six are university students who planned to hijack a tank, take its soldiers hostage and rob a bank in order to fund an operation the group was preparing.
However the case still remains shrouded in secrecy; investigations are being carried out in secret and we need power of attorney in order to enable lawyers to gain access to the detainees.
We will follow the case and inform you of any information we receive."
EOHR has dispatched a fact-finding mission to the Egyptians' homes as well as contacting Ittijah.
It is currently in the process of preparing powers of attorney granted by the detainees' families which will be sent to Palestinian organisations in order to enable them to begin legal procedures.
The reasons put forward by the Israeli authorities for the arrest are dubious.
The real reason for the arrest of the students - the oldest of whom is 25 - remains unclear.
EOHR calls for their immediate release and urges the Egyptian Government to undertake the measures necessary to realise this.
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