Detention
without
adequate
warrant
Failure to state Failure to bring Prohibition Denial of access
reasons of
detained
against
to a legal
detention
persons before communicating
counsel
competent
with
the
The
Independent
Commission for Human Rights - ICHR
courts
outside
69
Claims of illegal detention in two years
Chart 11: Claims of illegal detention: 2020-2021
Chart 11: Claims of illegal detention: 2020-2021
320
307
310
300
290
280
270
266
260
250
240
2021
2020
Years
Of note, detention of persons without adequate warrant often involves other impingements.
Of note, detention of persons without adequate warrant often involves other impingements. In adIn addition to the above, violations mainly include unwarranted house searches and
dition to the above, violations mainly include unwarranted house searches and confiscation of elecconfiscation
of electronic
devices andClaims
personal
Claimshouse
of illegal
and arbitrary
tronic
devices and
personal possessions.
of possessions.
illegal and arbitrary
searches
totalled 59,
house searches
59, including
the Strip.
West Bank
in the
Gaza
Strip.
Thirty
including
38 in thetotalled
West Bank
and 21 in 38
the in
Gaza
Thirtyand
four21(34)
claims
were
made
on the
four (34)
claims
were made
on theand
unlawful
of electronic
andand
personal
unlawful
seizure
of electronic
devices
personalseizure
belongings
(24 in the devices
West Bank
10 in the
Gaza
Strip). (24 in the West Bank and 10 in the Gaza Strip).
belongings
3. Administrative
detention
3. Administrative
detention
Administrative detention, also known as “detention on orders by governors”, is effected by a decision from the governor, the Executive representative in respective governorates. It means that a citizen is detained on security grounds, allegedly to maintain public order and security. It is premised
85 No. 7 of 1958 in force in the West Bank. The
on the Jordanian Law on the Prevention of Crimes
law gives governors the power to detain citizens without filing criminal charges against them. The
practice is based on undefined, overbroad causes, diverting away from the criminal justice system,
including courts and Public Prosecution. The governor may issue orders on the detention of persons,
against whom criminal suspicions are actually in place, but also departing from the criminal justice
system. Some governors have used this unconstitutional power to disrupt the enforcement of court
decisions on release of accused persons. To this effect, governors issue administrative detention orders against citizens, in favour of whom a court release was rendered. For example, on 25 February
2021, the Nablus Conciliation Court entered a decision ordering the release of T. A., but the Police
agency failed to enforced the decision and continued to hold T. A. in custody. An order was issued
by the Nablus governor to keep that citizen in detention. According to another complaint, immediately after a court decision on his release had been rendered, the Nablus governor detained a citizen
despite the fact that he had deposited the bail set by the judge in the court’s fund.
Governor-ordered detention claims totalled 41 of all claims of illegal and arbitrary arrest and detention. The majority of these (35) were reported to have taken placed in the West Bank, mostly in
Twenty Seventh Annual Report 2021