Muhannad Salahat was arrested by the Palestinian intelligence service on 26 April 2010 in the context of the intelligence services inspection in Nablus on 1 May 2010. He was arrested in "Al-Makhfiya" area of Nablus and then transferred to Al-Janeid prison in Nablus. He was then handed over to a group of armed soldiers dressed in black. They then took him to a small room where he was searched and stripped of all his possessions and documents, which were then given to the section of the intelligence services in charge of detainees.

He was blindfolded for hours with his hands tied behind his back. He was exposed to a form of torture known as the "phantom" technique, made infamous by Israelis forces who used the method on Palestinian detainees to literally make them the "ghost" of themselves. The technique involves tying the prisoners hands behind his back and suspending him from where the hands are tied; the eventual aim is paralysis.

During the "phantom" torture method, Muhannad Salahat was beaten by Palestinian intelligence officers, who during their interrogation insulted him profusely. He was repeatedly asked the same questions they had asked him during his interrogation at Jericho prison on 28 March 2010. He was eventually catechized about his work with the "Monitor". During that same period, the Executive Director of "Monitor" in Lebanon, Abdulaziz Tarakji, was threatened by a man who claimed he was from the "Palestinian Intelligence services" to withdraw the association's registration from the Interior Ministry in Ramallah.

On 3 May 2010, Muhannad Salahat was transported in a armed military vehicle to the military prosecutions headquarters, where he was told by the intelligence services legal counsel that a memorandum had been issued by the military prosecutor general for his detention to be extended. At the time of the order, no explanation was given as to why he had been subject to military legal proceedings, when he was obviously a citizen with no military affiliations whatsoever. They then told him to "Keep quiet... There will be no further discussion... Otherwise we'll find another way to deal with you."

On 7 May 2010, he was was visited by a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross during one of its inspection visits to Al-Janeid prison.

Context

Mohannad Salahat was previously arrested on 28 March 2010 while crossing Al-Lanby border crossing on his way from Jordan to Palestine. He was held for 14 days without charge or trial, and released on 11 April 2010, only to be re-arrested on 19 April 2010 by Palestinian Intelligence services at the Al-Mabar border crossing on the Jordanian-Palestinian border. He was held for 6 hours and then released. He then went to the Jordanian border, but the Jordanian authorities barred him from entering because of a request from the Palestinian Authority to prevent him from traveling - in order that he return it to the Palestinian territories.

Since 2007, Mohannad Salahat has worked for the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Monitor), exposing human rights violations and studying the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation within the Palestinian territories. He has been repeatedly subjected for the years to harassment, slander and arrest by the Palestinian Authority security forces.

On 5 May 2010, Alkarama submitted his case to the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Expression and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders requesting their intervention with the Palestinian authorities on his behalf.

Despite his release without charge on 10 May 2010, Alkarama fear for Muhannad Salahat's life, due to the fact that his travel ban can still be used as a pretext for his disappearance or arrests.