Palestinian Authority: fear of torture / legal concerns
About 700 suspected supporters of Hamas or Islamic Jihad have been arrested in a wave of arrests following the recent suicide bombings in Israel. AI is concerned that some may face torture or ill-treatment during interrogation.
EXTERNAL AI Index: MDE 15/24/96
UA 82/96 Fear of torture / Legal concerns 26 March 1996
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY At least 700 detained since recent suicide bombings
in Israel
In a wave of arrests following the recent suicide bombings in Israel, at least
700 suspected supporters of Hamas or Islamic Jihad have been arrested, mostly
without warrant, by the Palestinian Authority (PA). Fears that some of them
may face torture or ill-treatment during interrogation have been heightened
by reports of beatings of detainees. At least one prisoner has been sentenced
to life imprisonment after a grossly unfair trial.
Few of the detainees have been charged or given access to lawyers. Detainees
held in Nablus Prison have not been allowed visits by human rights organizations.
Families and human rights organizations experience difficulty in locating those
who have been arrested, which means that many of those arrested by PA security
services are held incommunicado until a member of their family is able to find
out where they are detained. Lack of access to the outside world facilitates
torture and ill-treatment and Amnesty International has received reports of
beating of detainees during interrogation in Gaza, Jericho and Nablus prisons,
including beating by electrical cables.
At least one detainee has been sentenced in a grossly unfair trial before the
State Security Court. Mohammed Abu Wardah was reportedly tried at 1am on the
night of 5-6 March. He was represented by a state-appointed lawyer. Amnesty
International has condemned trials before the State Security Court as unfair,
and had called on the governments of Israel and the United States of America
(USA) to stop encouraging the practice of unfair trials in the Palestinian
Authority.
The suicide bombings, which were carried out on 26 February and 3 and 4 March,
killing over 60 people including the bombers, were followed by strong pressure
from Israel and the USA on the Palestinian Authority to act decisively against
supporters of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Amnesty International is calling on
these governments to ensure that, in their efforts to prevent further suicide
bombings and to bring those who participated in organizing suicide bombings
to justice, they abide by their duty under the United Nations Charter to promote
respect for, and observance of, human rights.
(see also UA 64/96, Fear of continued killings of civilians by Hamas, MDE
15/15/96, 5 March 1996; UA 65/96, Israel and the Occupied Territories: Concern
of state response to suicide bombings, MDE 15/16/96, 6 March and update 21
March).
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail
letters in English/Arabic or your own language:
- urging the Palestinian Authority to ensure that no detainee is tortured or
ill-treated;
- urging that detainees be promptly charged and brought before a judge or
released;
- to inform families of detainees where their relatives are held, and to ensure
that all those held have access to lawyers and family visits;
- to halt trials before the State Security Court because they are grossly unfair
- defendants sentenced by this court should be retried in a court which meets
international standards for fair trial.
2
APPEALS TO:
1. President Yasser Arafat
Palestinian Authority
Al-Muntada
Gaza, Palestinian Authority
Faxes: +972 7 822 365 (ask to send a fax)
Telegrams: President Arafat, Palestinian Authority, Gaza
Salutation: Dear President Arafat
2. Minister of Justice Mr Freih Abu Meddein
Ministry of Justice
Abu Khadra Building
Omar al-Mukhtar Street
Gaza, Palestinian Authority
Faxes: +972 7 822 236
Telegrams: Justice Minister, Palestinian Authority, Gaza
Salutation: Dear Minister
3. Khaled al-Qidrah
Attorney-General
Attorney-General Building
Yarmouk, Gaza,
Palestinian Authority
Faxes: +972 7 822 388
Telegrams: Attorney-General, Palestinian Authority, Gaza
Salutation: Dear Mr al-Qidrah
COPIES TO:
Dr Iyad al-Sarraj
Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights
Ritz Hotel
Ibn Khaldun Street
PO Box 54627
Jerusalem
Via Israel
Fax: +972 2 28 28 69
and to diplomatic representatives of Palestinian Authority accredited to your
country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 10 May 1996.