Israel/OPT
19.03.03
Urgent Interventions
Israel: arbitrary arrest and risk to the personal integrity of Husam Khader
Case ISR 190303
Arbitrary arrest / Risk to personal integrity
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, of the violent arbitrary arrest and risk to the personal integrity of Husam Khader in Nablus.
According to the information received, on March 17th, 2003, at four in the morning, Mr. Khader was arrested at his home in Nablus. It is reported that over thirty Israeli soldiers invaded Mr. Khader’s home and forcefully arrested him, taking him to an unknown location. Additional soldiers were reportedly stationed around Mr. Khader’s home, and army tanks, personnel carriers and an ambulance were also present at the scene.
According to information received, Mr. Khader’s home was forcefully evacuated while Israeli soldiers inflicted a great deal of structural damage on the house. Israeli soldiers reportedly blew the doors of his home off with dynamite, which damaged the windows and walls, and fired an excessive number of gunshots at the house. It is also reported that Mr. Khader’s computer, telephones, official stamps and his files and documents were confiscated by the Israeli soldiers.
According to the information received, Mr. Khader is a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, a leader in the Fateh movement, and is an independent member of the PHRMG Board of Trustees. Israeli authorities claim that Mr. Khader is affiliated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade and they allege that he receives illegal funds from Iran.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Khader, given the excessive use of force during his arrest, and the fact that he is being detained incommunicado, with the heightened risk that he will be subjected to ill-treatment or torture that this entails. OMCT calls on the Israeli authorities to order his immediate release, in the absence of valid legal charges, to guarantee that he is provided with adequate reparation, and to guarantee that the perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. locate Mr. Khader’s whereabouts;
ii. guarantee Mr. Khader’s physical and psychological integrity at all times;
iii. order Mr. Khader’s immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring him before a competent and impartial court and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iv. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan
Street, PO Box 187, Kiryat Ben-Gurion, Jerusalem 91919, Israel. Fax:
+ 972 2 651 2631, E-mail: rohm@pmo.gov.il, pm_eng@pmo.gov.il
· Yosef Lapid, Minister of Justice, 29 Salah Eddin Street, Jerusalem
91010, Israel. Fax : + 972 2 628 8618, E-mail: sar@justice.gov.il
· Ambassador Yaakov Levy, Av. de la Paix 1-3, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.israel@gva.mfa.gov.il, fax: +4122 716 05 55
In addition, please write to the Israeli embassies in your respective country.
Geneva, March 19th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply
Arbitrary arrest / Risk to personal integrity
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, of the violent arbitrary arrest and risk to the personal integrity of Husam Khader in Nablus.
According to the information received, on March 17th, 2003, at four in the morning, Mr. Khader was arrested at his home in Nablus. It is reported that over thirty Israeli soldiers invaded Mr. Khader’s home and forcefully arrested him, taking him to an unknown location. Additional soldiers were reportedly stationed around Mr. Khader’s home, and army tanks, personnel carriers and an ambulance were also present at the scene.
According to information received, Mr. Khader’s home was forcefully evacuated while Israeli soldiers inflicted a great deal of structural damage on the house. Israeli soldiers reportedly blew the doors of his home off with dynamite, which damaged the windows and walls, and fired an excessive number of gunshots at the house. It is also reported that Mr. Khader’s computer, telephones, official stamps and his files and documents were confiscated by the Israeli soldiers.
According to the information received, Mr. Khader is a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, a leader in the Fateh movement, and is an independent member of the PHRMG Board of Trustees. Israeli authorities claim that Mr. Khader is affiliated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade and they allege that he receives illegal funds from Iran.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Khader, given the excessive use of force during his arrest, and the fact that he is being detained incommunicado, with the heightened risk that he will be subjected to ill-treatment or torture that this entails. OMCT calls on the Israeli authorities to order his immediate release, in the absence of valid legal charges, to guarantee that he is provided with adequate reparation, and to guarantee that the perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice.
Action Requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. locate Mr. Khader’s whereabouts;
ii. guarantee Mr. Khader’s physical and psychological integrity at all times;
iii. order Mr. Khader’s immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring him before a competent and impartial court and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
iv. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan
Street, PO Box 187, Kiryat Ben-Gurion, Jerusalem 91919, Israel. Fax:
+ 972 2 651 2631, E-mail: rohm@pmo.gov.il, pm_eng@pmo.gov.il
· Yosef Lapid, Minister of Justice, 29 Salah Eddin Street, Jerusalem
91010, Israel. Fax : + 972 2 628 8618, E-mail: sar@justice.gov.il
· Ambassador Yaakov Levy, Av. de la Paix 1-3, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.israel@gva.mfa.gov.il, fax: +4122 716 05 55
In addition, please write to the Israeli embassies in your respective country.
Geneva, March 19th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply