For more than two weeks now, a Jordanian woman in Israeli detention has been on hunger strike in protest of her imprisonment. Hiba Al-Labadi was detained when she was crossing between the West Bank and Jordan in August on her way back home after visiting relatives and has been in Israeli custody ever since.
Without any food, the prisoner Hiba Al-Labadi continues with a 14-day strike without going back even for a moment.
— Alaa Imoor (@imoor_alaa) October 6, 2019
✌??#هبة_اللبدي pic.twitter.com/ivHJLBk2hP
Jordanian of Palestinian origin, Hiba Abdel Baqi Al-Labadi, as identified by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, was arrested on August 20, 2019, and held in Petah Tikva prison, her brother Hatem confirmed. He was accompanying her along with their mother when Hiba was detained.
While the reasons behind Hiba’s arrest are still not clear, her brother told local media outlets the Israeli police attributed it to “security reasons” without providing more information.
الفتاة هبة اللبدي فلسطينية تحمل الجنسية الأردنية يدخل اعتقالها اليوم الـ 14 بعد اعتقالها على جسر الأردن، تخضع لتحقيق قاس في معتقل "بيتح تكفا"، مُنِعت من مقابلة محامي أو زيارة الصليب الأحمر. #الحرية_لهبة_اللبدي pic.twitter.com/UlJEGQOyP7
— Dr. Ramy Abdu| د. رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) September 2, 2019
Translation: “Hiba Al-Labadi, a Jordanian citizen of Palestinian origin has been arrested on the cross-border for 14 days. She is being held in Petah Tikva prison and is going through hard investigation. She is banned from meeting her lawyer or a visit by the Red Cross.”
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' Affairs released a statement from Hiba revealing that she was being treated poorly by Israeli authorities. She reported that she is being denied bathing, blankets and even a window. She also stated that she was being deprived of privacy and subjected to strip searches and psychological abuse, all of which led her to go on a hunger strike in protest.
Israel has imprisoned her in a dirty cell full of cameras, & has not bathed since she's detained, & the shower area has no blanket, no window, just a dirty bed sheet.
— Mustafa D. Batnain (@MustafaBatnain) October 7, 2019
She's been on hunger strike for 12 days. Rejection of administrative detention.
Where is humanity!#هبة_اللبدي https://t.co/GR1qqBxqCf
Jordanian and Palestinian activists have been talking about Hiba on the internet to pressure the authorities into following up on her story.
A tweet believed to be posted by Hiba before she was detained was posted with her photo while on the way to the West Bank with a caption: “My feeling today while on my way to Palestine is indescribable. My heart beats as a rebellious girl whose heart settled in love with rifles [resistance].”
شعوري اليوم وأنا في طريقي نحو فلسطين لا يوصف ، فقلبي تتسارع دقّاته اندفاعة بنت ثائرة استوطن عشق البنادق روحها ??. #الحقد_على_الطريق_الحقد_عم_بزهّر pic.twitter.com/jpQPLcmAMr
— Heba L. (@hebalabadigmai1) August 20, 2019
Hiba Al-Labadi is among 24 Jordanian citizens believed to be held by Israel in prisons without facing trials.
