The lawyer representing 23 Malaysian activists detained by Israeli authorities while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission has not ruled out the possibility that their release could be delayed due to the Yom Kippur public holiday in Israel.
The delay arises as most legal institutions, including courts and prisons in Israel, are closed during the holiday.
Chairman of the Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA), Azril Mohd Amin, said while no official confirmation has been given, he hopes all Malaysian participants will be released soon.
Currently, CENTHRA’s legal team is awaiting confirmation from lawyers with the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, also known as ADALAH.
“I can’t confirm (the delay), but yes, it’s Yom Kippur now in Israel, so we have to take that into account. We are waiting for updates from our partner lawyers at ADALAH regarding the latest status. So far, interviews with participants have been completed within 24 hours.
“There’s no official confirmation yet, but we hope the Malaysian participants will agree to sign the ‘immediate deportation’ document so they can be released and return home quickly,” Azril told Berita Harian.
He explained that since foreign lawyers, including Malaysians, are not allowed to practice in Israel, ADALAH has been appointed to represent participants from 44 countries, including Malaysia.
The CENTHRA legal team has been working closely with ADALAH, providing them with necessary documents and updates.
Azril added that he and four other Malaysian human rights lawyers—Fahmi Abd Moin, Dir Kheizwan Kamaruddin, Luqman Mazlan, and Ahmad Nazrin Abu Bakar—traveled to Catania and Tunisia on August 31, prior to the flotilla’s departure, to conduct legal briefings for GSF participants.
“We ensured that Malaysian and Nusantara participants were fully briefed on the legal process and signed the Power of Attorney document, authorizing ADALAH to represent them in Israel. This is essential to safeguard their rights in case of detention,” Azril explained.
