(ZENIT News / Belem, Palestine, 12.13.2024).- The release of two young Palestinian Christian women from Israeli detention has sparked both relief and renewed calls for justice. Layan Nasir, 23, and Lian Kaid were freed on December 6 after spending months in administrative detention without charges. Their cases have drawn international attention, shedding light on the controversial practice that allows imprisonment without trial or formal accusations.
A Long-Awaited Freedom
Layan, an Anglican parishioner from Birzeit in the West Bank, endured an ordeal that began abruptly in the early hours of April 7. Israeli soldiers reportedly stormed her family home, waking them at 4 a.m., before blindfolding and handcuffing her. Taken from her loved ones, she spent eight months in Damon Prison in Israel, where communication with her family was prohibited, and contact with a lawyer was minimal.
Lian Kaid, another young Christian detainee, experienced a similarly harrowing separation. Her family’s pleas, including a letter from her mother to Pope Francis requesting intervention, went unanswered during her captivity. Even her parish priest was denied the opportunity to offer her Communion.
Church Leaders Speak Out
The case of Layan Nasir drew strong condemnation from global religious leaders. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby decried her detention, describing it as an abuse of administrative detention laws, calling the practice both «legally and morally indefensible.» He highlighted the violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, pointing out that transferring Layan from the West Bank to a prison in Israel contravenes international law. During his recent visit to the region, Welby met with Layan’s family, lending his support and prayers.
In the aftermath of their release, Reverend Munther Isaac, a Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem, took to social media to celebrate. “Layan Nasir is free,” he wrote. “We pray for the freedom of all those imprisoned unjustly.”
The Episcopal Church echoed these sentiments in a statement, offering gratitude for Layan’s freedom but lamenting the plight of thousands of Palestinians still held in administrative detention. “We continue to call for the release of all unjustly detained Palestinians and for the return of Israeli hostages. Justice and peace in the Holy Land must remain our unwavering goal.”
A Broader Struggle for Justice
Administrative detention, a practice widely criticized by human rights organizations, allows imprisonment without trial or charges, often for indefinite periods. Advocates argue it infringes on fundamental rights and disproportionately affects Palestinians. Layan and Lian’s release serves as a stark reminder of the thousands who remain in similar conditions, separated from their families and communities.
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