Birzeit University students accuse Palestinian Authority of political arrests

Birzeit University students accuse Palestinian Authority of political arrests
"The university is making efforts through human rights organisations to clarify the reasons for the students’ detentions and demand the release of those who are detained without charges," said Birzeit University's deputy president.
2 min read
West Bank
02 November, 2022
A group of students continue to hold a sit-in at Birzeit University's campus, demanding the release of eight students detained by the PA. [Getty]

Eight Palestinian students continue to be detained by the Palestinian Authority after one was released on Monday, a source close to the students' council at Birzeit University near Ramallah, told The New Arab. The students’ council accuses the PA of arresting the students for political reasons.

On Sunday, the students' council released a statement announcing that the PA security forces had arrested three students who are active in the student movement.

"We, in the students' council, refuse the injustice and arrogance that deprives students of their right to a safe university life," read the statement.

On Sunday, dozens of Palestinians, including many students, demonstrated in Ramallah against what they called 'political detentions' by the PA, demanding the immediate release of the prisoners.

"My son was summoned by the Palestinian security for an interrogation at a security headquarters in Ramallah”, the father of Amr Al-Taweel, a second-year student of political science at Birzeit University, said to TNA

"Amr went to the appointment but didn't come back," said the father. "The lawyer told us that he is detained for further interrogation, but we don't know in what conditions he is, or when he will be released."

On his part, Birzeit University's deputy president for communications, Ghassan Al-Khatib, said to TNA that "Birzeit University clearly rejects any unlawful detentions of its students".

"The university is making efforts through human rights organizations to clarify the reasons for the students' detentions and demand the release of those who are detained without charges," Al-Khatib noted.

Meanwhile, a group of students continue to hold a sit-in inside Birzeit's campus, in protest of the PA's detentions and demanding the immediate release of those arrested.

The PA's security forces haven't made any public comments on the Birzeit University students' detentions.

The New Arab attempted to contact the media spokesperson of the security forces, but they have not responded to requests for comment.