Palestine
13.11.01
Urgent Interventions
Palestine autonomous areas : passivity of the justice and violation of the right to reparation
Case PAL 020301.1
Follow-up of case PAL 020301
Violation of the right to reparation
Geneva, November 13, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in the Palestine Autonomous Areas.
New information
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 no forensic investigation has been undertaken by Palestinian authorities to date into the circumstances of the death in detention of Salem Al Akra’a.
A cousin of the victim, Mr. Ashraf Nofal, is said to have seen the corpse of Al Akra'a in the morgue and stated that it was significantly emaciated. He added that there were signs of beating on the right side of his head as well as sloughs in his wrists and ankles and severe bruising on his back. Furthermore, Mr. Nofal also stated that an officer of the Military Intelligence Services had told him that Mr. Al Akra'a had once been handcuffed for three days, causing temporary loss of mobility in his hands.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT condemns the passivity of the justice in this case and expresses its deep concern about the ongoing suspect deaths in Palestinian prisons (see Urgent Appeals 230801 and 231001).
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, Al Akra’a’s cousin Ashraf Nofal, 27, had stated to LAW that the Military Intelligence Services had arrested Al Akra’a from a taxi stand east of Nablus on 6 February 2001. He had been held in custody and deprived of all visits before being admitted to hospital five days ago.
Based on the statement of Ashraf Nofal, LAW Society believed that the deceased may have been subjected to ‘Shabeh’- shackling in a contorted position - and beating by the Military Intelligence Services in Nablus.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Palestine Autonomous Areas urging them to:
i. 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;
ii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Authority, Al-Muntada, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 282 2365
· Mr. Freih Abu Meddein, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar El Mukhtar Street, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 286 7109
· Mr. Khaled Al-Qidreh, Attorney General for the State Security Courts, Police Headquarters, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 282 4253
Please also write to the representations of the Palestine Autonomous Areas in your respective country.
Geneva, November 13, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up of case PAL 020301
Violation of the right to reparation
Geneva, November 13, 2001
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in the Palestine Autonomous Areas.
New information
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 no forensic investigation has been undertaken by Palestinian authorities to date into the circumstances of the death in detention of Salem Al Akra’a.
A cousin of the victim, Mr. Ashraf Nofal, is said to have seen the corpse of Al Akra'a in the morgue and stated that it was significantly emaciated. He added that there were signs of beating on the right side of his head as well as sloughs in his wrists and ankles and severe bruising on his back. Furthermore, Mr. Nofal also stated that an officer of the Military Intelligence Services had told him that Mr. Al Akra'a had once been handcuffed for three days, causing temporary loss of mobility in his hands.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT condemns the passivity of the justice in this case and expresses its deep concern about the ongoing suspect deaths in Palestinian prisons (see Urgent Appeals 230801 and 231001).
Brief reminder of the situation
According to the information received, Al Akra’a’s cousin Ashraf Nofal, 27, had stated to LAW that the Military Intelligence Services had arrested Al Akra’a from a taxi stand east of Nablus on 6 February 2001. He had been held in custody and deprived of all visits before being admitted to hospital five days ago.
Based on the statement of Ashraf Nofal, LAW Society believed that the deceased may have been subjected to ‘Shabeh’- shackling in a contorted position - and beating by the Military Intelligence Services in Nablus.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Palestine Autonomous Areas urging them to:
i. 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;
ii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Authority, Al-Muntada, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 282 2365
· Mr. Freih Abu Meddein, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar El Mukhtar Street, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 286 7109
· Mr. Khaled Al-Qidreh, Attorney General for the State Security Courts, Police Headquarters, Gaza, Fax: 00 972 7 282 4253
Please also write to the representations of the Palestine Autonomous Areas in your respective country.
Geneva, November 13, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.