JERUSALEM Palestinian political prisoners in a Palestinian jail in the West Bank city of Nablus began a hunger strike on Sunday to protest against their detention without trial, an international legal group said. Law Society, an affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists based in Geneva, said 64 political prisoners in Jneid prison in self-ruled Nablus were on hunger strike. This is the fourth time prisoners in Jneid prison have staged a hunger strike.

Some prisoners were released on January 17, the legal group said. Last month the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) gave the Palestinian Authority two weeks to free around 450 political prisoners from its jails or face a vote of no confidence. The PLC is scheduled to meet this week. The Palestinian Authority has come under sharp criticism from human rights organisations over the arrest of members of Palestinian opposition groups, mainly of them from the Islamic movement Hamas. (Reuter)