Palestine
08.08.00
Urgent Interventions
'Palestine Autonomous Areas: 17 year old beaten by police, 2 brothers arrested
Case PAL 080800
and
Case PAL 080800.CC
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Palestine Autonomous Areas.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, that Abed al Mouteeh al Ajlonee, 17, was reportedly severely beaten by the Palestinian police in Ramallah and arrested along with his brother Aiman, 30, on 5 August 2000, from the outskirts of Jerusalem, apparently on criminal charges.
In an affidavit given to LAW, the mother of the detainees, Amira al Ajlonee, 48, stated that she was informed of the detention of her two sons by telephone, but was not allowed to visit them at the time. However, she later learned that one of her sons, Abed al Mouteeh, was actually at the Ramallah Government Hospital. When she arrived at the hospital she saw him leaving under guard. She explained that Abed al Mouteeh seemed to be in a very poor condition, apparently due to torture or ill-treatment. She added that she saw traces of severe beating on his face and body and that his face was bleeding.
Following the complaint the family filed at LAW’s office, LAW’s lawyer tried to visit the two brothers on 6 August 2000 but was denied access under the pretext that the two were still under interrogation.
On 7 August 2000, LAW’s lawyer accompanied the mother and her husband to visit their sons. However, the lawyer was denied access to the detainees once again. After a lengthy argument, the mother was allowed to see her sons and obtained permission to transfer Abed back to hospital.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the obvious practice of torture and ill-treatment in Palestine. Furthermore, OMCT was informed on 7th August 2000 by LAW that LAW’s Director General, Khader Shkirat had met with the Ramallah Police Commander, Major Kamal al Sheikh, to discuss the reasons for banning visits of LAW’s lawyers to a number of detainees, and to discuss cases of torture or ill-treatment. In this meeting, Major Kamal al Sheikh justified the beating of detainees noting that “The thief who does not confess must be beaten as a last resort to force him to confess.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Palestine Autonomous Areas urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the Abed al Mouteeh and Aiman al Ajlonee and ensure that Abed al Mouteeh receives adequate medical care;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these arrests and the alleged beating of Abed al Mouteeh in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
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
Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 365/6 ( if voice, say "fax, please").
Palestinian Authority, Minister of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel.
Fax : + 972 7 822 236 or +972 7 286-7109
Khalid al-Qidrah, Attorney General, Palestinian Authority, Attorney General Building, Yarmouk, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 824 503.
Geneva, August 8, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
and
Case PAL 080800.CC
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Palestine Autonomous Areas.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), a member of the OMCT network, that Abed al Mouteeh al Ajlonee, 17, was reportedly severely beaten by the Palestinian police in Ramallah and arrested along with his brother Aiman, 30, on 5 August 2000, from the outskirts of Jerusalem, apparently on criminal charges.
In an affidavit given to LAW, the mother of the detainees, Amira al Ajlonee, 48, stated that she was informed of the detention of her two sons by telephone, but was not allowed to visit them at the time. However, she later learned that one of her sons, Abed al Mouteeh, was actually at the Ramallah Government Hospital. When she arrived at the hospital she saw him leaving under guard. She explained that Abed al Mouteeh seemed to be in a very poor condition, apparently due to torture or ill-treatment. She added that she saw traces of severe beating on his face and body and that his face was bleeding.
Following the complaint the family filed at LAW’s office, LAW’s lawyer tried to visit the two brothers on 6 August 2000 but was denied access under the pretext that the two were still under interrogation.
On 7 August 2000, LAW’s lawyer accompanied the mother and her husband to visit their sons. However, the lawyer was denied access to the detainees once again. After a lengthy argument, the mother was allowed to see her sons and obtained permission to transfer Abed back to hospital.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the obvious practice of torture and ill-treatment in Palestine. Furthermore, OMCT was informed on 7th August 2000 by LAW that LAW’s Director General, Khader Shkirat had met with the Ramallah Police Commander, Major Kamal al Sheikh, to discuss the reasons for banning visits of LAW’s lawyers to a number of detainees, and to discuss cases of torture or ill-treatment. In this meeting, Major Kamal al Sheikh justified the beating of detainees noting that “The thief who does not confess must be beaten as a last resort to force him to confess.”
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Palestine Autonomous Areas urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the Abed al Mouteeh and Aiman al Ajlonee and ensure that Abed al Mouteeh receives adequate medical care;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these arrests and the alleged beating of Abed al Mouteeh in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
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
Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 365/6 ( if voice, say "fax, please").
Palestinian Authority, Minister of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel.
Fax : + 972 7 822 236 or +972 7 286-7109
Khalid al-Qidrah, Attorney General, Palestinian Authority, Attorney General Building, Yarmouk, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 824 503.
Geneva, August 8, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.