A HUMAN rights organisation has launched a campaign to ban a notorious form of incarceration practised by Israel. And supporters are urged to "adopt a prisoner," providing moral support whilst lobbying for his or her release.

Palestinian prisoners' support organisation Addameer is demanding an end to administrative detention under which people are detained without charge or trial. Addameer also calls for the immediate release of all such prisoners – most of whose lawyers never get to see the  "secret" evidence against them. There are currently 548 Palestinians held under administrative detention, including three women, two boys under eighteen and eight members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Two men have been held for over four and a half years.

Magda Mughrabi, Addameer advocacy officer, explained that although orders only last a maximum of six months, in practice they are often renewed immediately and can result in years of imprisonment, during which the detainee has no hope of any meaningful court hearing. Administrative detention is not in itself illegal in international law – it can apply during a state of emergency.

"Such a state of emergency has been in force since the founding of the State of Israel," said Ms Mughrabi. She criticised the Israeli government which always cited security but failed to define any precise threat. "It must be a public emergency which threatens the life of the nation," she said. Administrative detention had been used as collective punishment which is outlawed under international law, she said.

Between March and October 2002 thousands of men between 15 and 45 in the Occupied Palestinian Territories had been rounded up and 1,050 were kept under administrative detention. "Israel has made a mockery out of the total system of procedural safeguards in both domestic and international law regarding the right to freedom and due process," Ms Mughrabi added. "Virtually any act of resistance against the occupation, even pouring coffee for a member of a declared illegal association is seen as support for a terrorist organisation."

Addameer's campaign provides detailed case studies of prisoners and their postal addresses so supporters can write to them personally. It provides the names and addresses of Israeli government, military and legal officials so supporters can lobby on their adoptee's behalf. Finally, Addameer urges international campaigners to raise the cases of specific prisoners with their MPs, MEPs and the Israeli Embassy.

"Let's put an end to such an unjust, arbitrary and cruel system of incarceration without trial," said Ms Mughrabi.

To get involved in the campaign visit www.addameer.info, email info (at) addameer.ps or telephone on +972 2 2960446.

Fact file

• Addameer which means "conscience" in Arabic takes only political cases
• documents the Israeli use of torture to obtain confessions
• reports on substandard conditions inside Israeli jails, including grossly inadequate medical care
• shows how Palestinian families are frequently denied permits to visit prisoners in Israel – a right under international law
• cites the difficulties lawyers have – Gazan lawyers cannot visit clients in Israel and West Bank lawyers have restricted access – Israeli lawyers on the other hand have difficulty visiting West Bank clients, families and witnesses