Town Arrest Orders in Israel and the Occupied Territories

Since February 1979, Amnesty International has been working on behalf of people in Israel and the Occupied Territories whose physical movement has been restricted by administrative order. These people, though not imprisoned, are ordered to stay within the confines of their town or village for a specified period, usually for an initial period of six months, although this is frequently renewed. During this period, they are neither formally charged nor brought before acourt of law. Most are also required to report daily to their local police station, and most are not permitted to leave their homes between sunset and sunrise. The police may check their whereabouts at any time, which includes entering their homes at night.