Palestine
02.03.01
Urgent Interventions
Palestine Autonomous Areas: death in detention
Case PAL 020301
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 on Tuesday 27 February, 30 year old Salem Al Akra'a from Kabalan near Nablus died at Al Watani Hospital in Nablus after being transferred there from the town's Military Intelligence Service prison.
According to the information received, Al Akra’a’s cousin Ashraf Nofal, 27, stated to LAW that the Military Intelligence Services had arrested Al Akra’a from a taxi rank east of Nablus on 6 February 2001. He was held in custody and deprived of all visits before being admitted to hospital five days ago.
In his statement to LAW, Ashraf added that he had seen Al Akra’a’s body in the hospital morgue; 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.
Based on the statement of Ashraf Nofal, LAW Society believes 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 the death of Salem Al Akra’a 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 adequate compensation to the family of Salem Al Akra’a;
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
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
Geneva, March 2, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 on Tuesday 27 February, 30 year old Salem Al Akra'a from Kabalan near Nablus died at Al Watani Hospital in Nablus after being transferred there from the town's Military Intelligence Service prison.
According to the information received, Al Akra’a’s cousin Ashraf Nofal, 27, stated to LAW that the Military Intelligence Services had arrested Al Akra’a from a taxi rank east of Nablus on 6 February 2001. He was held in custody and deprived of all visits before being admitted to hospital five days ago.
In his statement to LAW, Ashraf added that he had seen Al Akra’a’s body in the hospital morgue; 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.
Based on the statement of Ashraf Nofal, LAW Society believes 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 the death of Salem Al Akra’a 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 adequate compensation to the family of Salem Al Akra’a;
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
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
Geneva, March 2, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.