Samer Tariq Issawi (born December 16, 1979, in Issawiyeh, north east of Jerusalem) is a Palestinian prisoner in Israel.[1][2]
On 15 April 2002, Samer was detained by the Israeli army in Ramallah as part of Operation Defensive Shield during the Second Intifada.[3] Samer, who was affiliated with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine,[1] allegedly manufactured and distributed pipe bombs and in several instances fired indiscriminately at Israeli civilians. He was convicted of membership in an illegal organization, possession of explosives, and attempted murder.[1]
Nearly 10 years later, in October 2011, Samer was released along with 1027 Palestinian prisoners as a result of an Egypt-brokered deal between Hamas and the Israeli government for the return of Gilad Shalit.[4] However, on 7 July 2012, he was re-detained near for violating the terms of his release by leaving Jerusalem and entering the West Bank.[2][1] His lawyer Andre Rosenthal stated that he had been taking his car to be fixed at a garage in the West Bank.[5]
He was convicted of an 8-month sentence, which according to the terms of his release could include a reinstatement of the rest of his original 26-year sentence.[5] Issawi began a hunger strike in August 2012.
On 7 January 2013, a protest took place in Washington, D.C., in support of Issawi.[6]
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian state, sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and began a publicity campaign on 13 February 2013 to raise awareness of the condition of Issawi and three other prisoners of Israel engaged in a hunger strike to protest that they were being held in prison without being convicted.[7]
On April 22, 2013, it was announced that Samer was ending his hunger strike. A deal had been reached where Samer would serve eight months for violating the terms of his bail, and then be released to Jerusalem.[8] However, he was detained again, six months after his release. In 2015 he renewed his hunger strike.[9]
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