Israel/OPT
08.03.02
Urgent Interventions
'Open letter to the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
OPEN LETTER TO ARIEL SHARONPRIME MINISTER OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
Paris-Geneva, 8 March 2002
Mr. Prime Minister,
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the FIDH and the OMCT, is deeply concerned by the intimidation measures and threats directed against Mr. Khader Shkirat, General Director of LAW (The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment), when his house was surrounded by Israeli forces on the March 7th 2002.
At 6:15 p.m. that evening, about 150 Israeli forces, including a special unit of the Israeli intelligence, Border Police, troops, and, armored vehicles, sealed off Jabel Mukaber, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. They placed residents under a military curfew and surrounded Khader Shkirat’ house. Officers of the Israeli intelligence first told Mr. Shkirat to find and bring out a fugitive that they claimed was hiding in his basement, or evacuate his family so they could bomb the house. Mr. Shkirat, refused to abandon his house, and assembled his family in one of the house’s back rooms.
He was given an ultimatum by the Israeli intelligence to come with them for interrogation or the unit would move into the house. He eventually agreed to come with them and was taken to the Israeli Police Station in Jabel Mukaber. While he was being interrogated, the Israeli forces claimed that they had found a fugitive hiding in the house’s basement.
None of the representatives of Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations or representatives of diplomatic consulates, who had arrived at the scene at the request of LAW, saw the fugitive that had supposedly been found. When Mr. Shkirat was returned to his house, Israeli forces with dogs entered into his home, reportedly for further security checks. About 40 minutes after the Israeli forces claimed that the fugitive had been captured, Shkirat, accompanied by the Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel, and his brother were taken away for further interrogation. Eventually, both were released.
During this entire period, representatives of LAW and other Palestinian and Israel non-governmental organizations called upon the Israeli forces to exercise restraint and asked why Mr. Shkirat's home was being targeted. Diplomatic representatives from European Union consulates also came as observers.During this Israeli military operation, the threats to bomb the house, the massive Israeli military presence, and the use of dogs terrorized Mr. Shkirat's family.Moreover, one and a half hours after all Palestinian, Israeli and international observers had left area, Israeli forces returned and, once again, surrounded his home and prevented anyone from entering. Rana Nashashibi, a children's psychologist, who tried to visit Shkirat's children, was prevented from speaking to them. According to the reports, they left during the early hours of the morning.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by this wholly disproportionate use of force against Mr. Shkirat and his family. The Observatory recalls that Mr. Shkirat is a well-known human rights activist and lawyer, in his country as well as on the international scene.
The Observatory urges your Excellency to ensure that the harassment and threats to which Mr. Shkirat is being subjected cease immediately and that he, and more generally all human rights defenders, be allowed to carry out their work without obstacles.
The Observatory urges the highest Israelian authorities to conform, in any circumstances, with the disposals of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on 9th December 1998 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which states in particular that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration” (article 12.2).
We thank you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter, and remain,
Sincerely yours,
Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS
President of the FIDH Director of the OMCT
Paris-Geneva, 8 March 2002
Mr. Prime Minister,
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the FIDH and the OMCT, is deeply concerned by the intimidation measures and threats directed against Mr. Khader Shkirat, General Director of LAW (The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment), when his house was surrounded by Israeli forces on the March 7th 2002.
At 6:15 p.m. that evening, about 150 Israeli forces, including a special unit of the Israeli intelligence, Border Police, troops, and, armored vehicles, sealed off Jabel Mukaber, a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. They placed residents under a military curfew and surrounded Khader Shkirat’ house. Officers of the Israeli intelligence first told Mr. Shkirat to find and bring out a fugitive that they claimed was hiding in his basement, or evacuate his family so they could bomb the house. Mr. Shkirat, refused to abandon his house, and assembled his family in one of the house’s back rooms.
He was given an ultimatum by the Israeli intelligence to come with them for interrogation or the unit would move into the house. He eventually agreed to come with them and was taken to the Israeli Police Station in Jabel Mukaber. While he was being interrogated, the Israeli forces claimed that they had found a fugitive hiding in the house’s basement.
None of the representatives of Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations or representatives of diplomatic consulates, who had arrived at the scene at the request of LAW, saw the fugitive that had supposedly been found. When Mr. Shkirat was returned to his house, Israeli forces with dogs entered into his home, reportedly for further security checks. About 40 minutes after the Israeli forces claimed that the fugitive had been captured, Shkirat, accompanied by the Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel, and his brother were taken away for further interrogation. Eventually, both were released.
During this entire period, representatives of LAW and other Palestinian and Israel non-governmental organizations called upon the Israeli forces to exercise restraint and asked why Mr. Shkirat's home was being targeted. Diplomatic representatives from European Union consulates also came as observers.During this Israeli military operation, the threats to bomb the house, the massive Israeli military presence, and the use of dogs terrorized Mr. Shkirat's family.Moreover, one and a half hours after all Palestinian, Israeli and international observers had left area, Israeli forces returned and, once again, surrounded his home and prevented anyone from entering. Rana Nashashibi, a children's psychologist, who tried to visit Shkirat's children, was prevented from speaking to them. According to the reports, they left during the early hours of the morning.
The Observatory is gravely concerned by this wholly disproportionate use of force against Mr. Shkirat and his family. The Observatory recalls that Mr. Shkirat is a well-known human rights activist and lawyer, in his country as well as on the international scene.
The Observatory urges your Excellency to ensure that the harassment and threats to which Mr. Shkirat is being subjected cease immediately and that he, and more generally all human rights defenders, be allowed to carry out their work without obstacles.
The Observatory urges the highest Israelian authorities to conform, in any circumstances, with the disposals of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on 9th December 1998 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which states in particular that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration” (article 12.2).
We thank you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter, and remain,
Sincerely yours,
Sidiki KABA Eric SOTTAS
President of the FIDH Director of the OMCT