Israeli Supreme Court revokes internment law that has seen 2,000 African migrants imprisoned without charge

The Israeli Supreme Court has struck down a law that allowed authorities to imprison African migrants without charge for up to three years.

The measure came into effect in June 2012 and Israel is now holding 2,000 Africans, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan, who reached the country since then. On Monday, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the law violated migrants’ rights to dignity and liberty. The government has 90 days to review prisoners’ cases.

The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he would respect the decision and vowed to find legally permissible ways to continue to block migrants seeking entry to Israel. More than 50,000 African migrants have entered Israel in recent years.

AP