News - Middle East: Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails continue their boycott of the regime’s military courts for the 58th consecutive day in protest against Israel’s so-called policy of administrative detention.

Nearly 450 Palestinian inmates have so far refused to show up for their military court hearings, Palestine’s official Wafa news agency reported on Sunday.

The boycott includes hearings for the renewal of administrative detention orders as well as appeal hearings and sessions at Israel’s so-called supreme court.

Prisoners with chronic diseases have also been boycotting prison hospitals in a similar protest action for the second consecutive week.

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are held under administrative detention, in which Israel keeps the detainees without charge for up to six months, a period which can be extended an infinite number of times. The detention takes place on orders from a military commander and on the basis of what the Israeli regime describes as ‘secret’ evidence. Some prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.

Rights groups describe Israel’s use of administrative detention as a “bankrupt tactic” and have long called on Israel to end it.