Israel/OPT
19.11.01
Urgent Interventions
Israel: sentencing of Mr. Abed Rahman al Ahmar to a further six-month administrative detention period
Case ISR180701.3
Follow-up of Case ISR 180701
Arbitrary detention / Due process including fair trial / Risk of torture
Geneva, November 19, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Israel.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), a member of the OMCT network, of the sentencing of Mr. Abed Rahman al Ahmar to a further six-month administrative detention period in Israel.
According to the information received, Mr. Abed Rahman al-Ahmar was sentenced to a further six months of administrative detention by Yizhak Eitan, the OC Central Commander, on November 14th, 2001. He is to be detained until May 23rd 2002 without charge or trial. The Israeli Army and General Security Services (GSS) have decided to again resort to administrative detention, since this measure saves them from having to present any evidence against Mr. Al-Ahmar to justify his prolonged detention.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. al-Ahmar’s physical and psychological integrity, due to the reported use of torture during his detention, and OMCT fears that he will again be subjected to ill treatment and torture. Furthermore, OMCT objects against the Military Court’s ruling to prolong Mr. al-Ahmar’s administrative detention, as the decision is based on arbitrary and secret evidence submitted by the GSS, along with the fact that evidence provided by his defense was dismissed.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, on July 15th 2001, an Israeli Military Judge, Adrian Agasi, issued a six-month administrative detention order against Abed al-Ahmar, on the basis of secret evidence submitted by the Israeli General Security Services (GSS). The hearing was held at the Megiddo detention center and the evidence presented by Mr. Al-Ahmar’s lawyers was reportedly not considered by the Judge.
Mr. al-Ahmar was arrested by Israeli security forces on May 24th 2001 and transferred to the Gush Etzion military detention center. On May 30th his detention was extended by 20 days, without the presence or knowledge of his lawyers, and he was transferred to the Russian Compound detention center in Jerusalem.
Following allegations that during his detention Mr al-Ahmar may have been subjected to torture, in particular to the “shabeh” torture method, which consists of being shackled in tight handcuffs to a slanting chair for the entire day (outlawed by the Israeli Supreme Court on September 6th 1999), Attorney Pacheco, acting for PCATI and the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), also a member of the OMCT network, filed a petition with the High Court against the torture on 11th June 2001. The petition was rejected during a hearing on June 12th, 2001, due to an alleged lack of evidence.
According to the information received, Mr. al-Ahmar had already been held in administrative detention for two and a half years, prior to his release in 1998, and a procedure on allegations of torture that he had initiated at that time is still pending against the GSS.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mr. Abed Rahman al-Ahmar’s physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. 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, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)651 2631 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91010, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or Fax: (+972 2) 628 8618 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
· Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: (+972 2) 670 1411 Email: sar@moin.gov.il
· Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
· Elyiakim Rubinstein, Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah ad-Din Street, Jerusalem 91010, Fax: (+972 2) 628 54 38
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, November 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up of Case ISR 180701
Arbitrary detention / Due process including fair trial / Risk of torture
Geneva, November 19, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Israel.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), a member of the OMCT network, of the sentencing of Mr. Abed Rahman al Ahmar to a further six-month administrative detention period in Israel.
According to the information received, Mr. Abed Rahman al-Ahmar was sentenced to a further six months of administrative detention by Yizhak Eitan, the OC Central Commander, on November 14th, 2001. He is to be detained until May 23rd 2002 without charge or trial. The Israeli Army and General Security Services (GSS) have decided to again resort to administrative detention, since this measure saves them from having to present any evidence against Mr. Al-Ahmar to justify his prolonged detention.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. al-Ahmar’s physical and psychological integrity, due to the reported use of torture during his detention, and OMCT fears that he will again be subjected to ill treatment and torture. Furthermore, OMCT objects against the Military Court’s ruling to prolong Mr. al-Ahmar’s administrative detention, as the decision is based on arbitrary and secret evidence submitted by the GSS, along with the fact that evidence provided by his defense was dismissed.
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, on July 15th 2001, an Israeli Military Judge, Adrian Agasi, issued a six-month administrative detention order against Abed al-Ahmar, on the basis of secret evidence submitted by the Israeli General Security Services (GSS). The hearing was held at the Megiddo detention center and the evidence presented by Mr. Al-Ahmar’s lawyers was reportedly not considered by the Judge.
Mr. al-Ahmar was arrested by Israeli security forces on May 24th 2001 and transferred to the Gush Etzion military detention center. On May 30th his detention was extended by 20 days, without the presence or knowledge of his lawyers, and he was transferred to the Russian Compound detention center in Jerusalem.
Following allegations that during his detention Mr al-Ahmar may have been subjected to torture, in particular to the “shabeh” torture method, which consists of being shackled in tight handcuffs to a slanting chair for the entire day (outlawed by the Israeli Supreme Court on September 6th 1999), Attorney Pacheco, acting for PCATI and the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), also a member of the OMCT network, filed a petition with the High Court against the torture on 11th June 2001. The petition was rejected during a hearing on June 12th, 2001, due to an alleged lack of evidence.
According to the information received, Mr. al-Ahmar had already been held in administrative detention for two and a half years, prior to his release in 1998, and a procedure on allegations of torture that he had initiated at that time is still pending against the GSS.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee Mr. Abed Rahman al-Ahmar’s physical and psychological integrity;
ii. order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. 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, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)651 2631 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91010, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or Fax: (+972 2) 628 8618 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
· Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: (+972 2) 670 1411 Email: sar@moin.gov.il
· Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
· Elyiakim Rubinstein, Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah ad-Din Street, Jerusalem 91010, Fax: (+972 2) 628 54 38
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, November 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.