Israel extends detention of Gaza flotilla activists, lawyers say

Lawyers representing the two activists will appeal the extension decision, calling it ‘the state’s lawlessness’.An Israeli court has extended the detention of two Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla activists who were abducted by Israeli authorities last week, an Israeli rights group representing them says.The Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday granted the state’s request to extend the detention of Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Brazilian Thiago Avila until Sunday May 10, Miriam Azem, the international advocacy coordinator at Adalah confirmed to Al Jazeera.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Who are the two Gaza flotilla activists abducted by Israel?list 2 of 4Detained Gaza aid flotilla activists arrive in Netherlandslist 3 of 4Is Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla legal?list 4 of 4Palestine weekly wrap: Israeli security agencies sound alarm on settlersend of listThe pair were among dozens of activists who had set sail for Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off Greece on April 30. Organisers say that from 180 activists, the majority of whom were taken to Crete, Abu Keshek and Avila were taken to Israel for questioning, where they remain in detention.“The court’s decision to extend the detention of humanitarian activists abducted in international waters amounts to judicial validation of the state’s lawlessness,” Adalah said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it will appeal the decision.The extension of the activists’ detainment was based on “secret evidence” that Abu Keshek, Avila and their lawyers were not permitted to review, Adalah said.“Crucially, the court granted the full six-day extension requested by the state without imposing any limitations or judicial constraints on the interrogation period,” the group’s statement read.No charges have been filed against the two men, but Abu Keshek and Avila face several accusations, including affiliation with a “terrorist organisation and contact with foreign agents”, Adalah has previously told Al Jazeera.Adalah lawyers Hadeel Abu Salih and Lubna Tuma, representing the two activists, have argued that the allegations against them are “baseless” and have no “legal grounds”.