Samer Tariq Issawi

Who is Samer Tariq Issawi?

Samer Tariq Issawi is a Palestinian prisoner in Israel.

On 15 April 2002, Samer was arrested by the Israeli army in Ramallah as part of Operation Defensive Shield during the Second Intifada. Samer, who was affiliated with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, 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.

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. However, on 7 July 2012, he was re-arrested near for violating the terms of his release by leaving Jerusalem and entering the West Bank. His lawyer Andre Rosenthal stated that he had been taking his car to be fixed at a garage in the West Bank.

He was convicted of an 8 months sentence, which according to the terms of his release could include a reinstatement of the rest of his original 26 year sentence. Issawi has been on a hunger strike since August, 2012.