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On July 22, 2009, he was arrested at Gaza's Erez checkpoint. He headed for a West Bank Balata refugee camp football match. He was taken to Ashkelon Prison for weeks of interrogation.
On August 23, he was lawlessly detained under Israel's Unlawful Combatant Law (UCL). Using it results in long-term indefinite detentions. Sarsak was never charged or tried.
On March 19, he stopped eating in protest. His fundamental rights are denied. He spent punishing time in solitary confinement. Supporters worldwide demand his release.
FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, criticized his lawless detention. On June 12, FIFA.com headlined "Alleged illegal detainment of Palestinian football players," saying:
Blatter "today expressed....grave concern and worry about" lawless Israeli detentions."The reports FIFA received state that in apparent violation of their integrity and human rights and without the apparent right of a due process (trial), several Palestine football players have allegedly been illegally detained by Israeli authorities."
"In particular, the mentioned reports refer to the Palestine player Mahmoud Sarsak, whose health is in a very delicate state due to the fact that he has been undergoing a hunger strike for approximately 90 days in protest of his alleged illegal detention."
FIFA "urgently calls on IFA (Israel Football Association) to draw the attention of the Israeli competent authorities to the present matter, with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the concerned players as well as their right for due process."
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