Document - Israel/Occupied Territories: Further information on torture / ill-treatment: Marwan Barghouti

PUBLICAI Index: MDE 15/118/2002

17 July 2002

Further information on UA 160/02 (MDE 15/072/2002, 30 May 2002) - Torture/ill-treatment

ISRAEL/

OCCUPIED Marwan Barghouti (m), aged 42

TERRITORIES

On 8 July, Marwan Barghouti was transferred from Petah Tikvah Detention Centre to the Moskobiyeh Detention Centre in Jerusalem. He is said to have back and neck problems as a result of being tortured and otherwise ill-

treated whilst being interrogated. He has access to lawyers and after more than three months was allowed to see his wife on 17 July.

Marwan Barghouti has gone on two one-day hunger strikes in protest at the poor conditions of detention. He is being held in a cell with four other detainees and has complained that it is unhygienic, hot, smelly and full of insects.

On 11 July, the Ministry of Justice announced that Marwan Barghouti would be tried publicly before a civilian court. No date has yet been fixed for the trial and charges have not yet been filed. Most Palestinians from the Occupied Territories are tried before Military Courts which do not give the same guarantees for fair trials as civilian courts.

Many thanks to all those who took action on behalf of Marwan Barghouti. Please send a final round of appeals, in English or Hebrew or your own language:

- welcoming the fact that Marwan Barghouti is not going to be tried before a military court, where trials fail to meet international fair trial standards;

- asking the Israeli authorities to set up an independent investigation into the torture allegations, and make the results of this investigation public;

- calling for anyone who has ordered or carried out torture or other ill-

treatment to be brought to justice;

- asking that Marwan Barghouti be granted regular access to his family after more than three months without such access.

APPEALS TO:

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Office of the Prime Minister

3 Kaplan Street, PO Box 187

Kiryat Ben-Gurion

Jerusalem 91919, Israel

Telegrams: Prime Minister, Jerusalem, Israel

Fax: + 972 2 670 5475

Salutation:Dear Prime Minister

Meir Sheetrit

Minister of Justice

Ministry of Justice

29 Salah al-Din Street

Jerusalem 91010, Israel

Telegrams: Minister of Justice, Jerusalem, Israel

Fax:+ 972 2 628 8618

Salutation:Dear Minister

Elyakim Rubinstein

Attorney-General/Legal Advisor to the Government

Ministry of Justice

29 Salah al-Din Street

Jerusalem 91010, Israel

Telegrams: Attorney-General, Jerusalem, Israel

Fax:+ 972 2 628 5438

Salutation:Dear Attorney-General

COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Israel accredited to your country.