Palestine
12.01.00
Urgent Interventions
Palestine Autonomous Areas: release of two detainees
Case PAL 011299.4
Follow-up of Case PAL 011299, Case PAL 011299.1, Case 011299.2 and Case PAL 011299.3
Geneva 12th January 2000
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information concerning the following situation in the Palestinian Autonomous Areas.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by a number of reliable sources, including The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of a number of Palestinian political and social figures following the publication of a statement criticizing the Palestinian Authorities.
In a statement, released on 27th November, the Palestinian Authority (PA) was accused of adopting "a modus operandi of graft, corruption, humiliation and exploitation of the Palestinian people." Furthermore, that, "The PA President has opened the doors widely for the opportunists to spread corruption in the larger Palestinian street. The economic conditions have worsened, social bonds became weaker, the moral values of our people became lax, and destruction has befallen many of our health, educational and judicial institutions."
In the next few days, a number of those who had signed the statement, were arrested and detained by the Palestinian Authorities:
Abdel Sattar Qasem, 50, arrested 28th November
Dr. Abdelrahim Kittana
Dr. Adel Samara
Dr. Yaser Abusafiyya
Ahmad Katamesh
Dr, Afif Suleiman Judah, arrested in his house on 29th November
Ismat Shakhshir, summoned on 28th November and interrogated for 2 hours before she was released. Detained again on 29th November and awaits release.
Bassam Shaka'a and Anabta Waheed Alhamdalla, were both placed under house arrest.
Ahmad Shaker Doodeen
Adnan Odeh
The International Secretariat of OMCT received further information from the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), also a member of the OMCT network, that Ahmad Katamesh, Dr. Adel Samara and Abdul Sattar Qassem had been transferred to the General Intelligence detention centre in Jericho. They had been informed by the Jericho General Intelligence Services that they would not be visited, and were not given a satisfactory reason for this.
LAW's lawyer, Husni Kalboneh managed to visit Dr. Yasser Abusafiyyah, Afif Suleiman Judah and Adnan Odeh, held at the Police Criminal Department in Nablus. Also, the house arrest, under which Bassem Shaka'a and Waheed Alhamdalla were placed, was lifted on 30th November 1999. Ismat Shakhshir, professor at Al Najah University, was released on bail after refusing to sign a document of house arrest presented to her by officials.
According to further information received from LAW, on 19 December 1999, Adel Samara, Ahmad Katamesh, Dr. Afif Barabrah, Adnan Odeh, Dr. Abdelrahim Kittana and Dr. Yasser Abusafiyyah were released. Ahmad Shaker Doodeen, held in Nablus prison, and Abdi Sattar Qassem, held in Jericho detention center, were still detained.
According to information gathered by LAW, Khaled Al Qidra, Head of the State Security Court, informed the detainees that President Arafat had issued a release order for bail. They were required to sign a pledge that bound them to appear at police stations if summoned. Bail was placed at Jordanian Dinars 50,000 (approximately $75,000) to be forfeited for non-compliance with the summons.
Moreover, OMCT received further information from LAW, that on 5th January 2000, LAW's lawyer was able to visit Abdi Sattar Qassem and Ahmad Shaker Doodeen, the two detainees still being held by Palestinian general intelligence at the Jericho detention center.the two detainees explained that the State Security Court prosecution is still holding them and that the attorney general had renewed their detention period for the third successive time on 30 December 1999 for a further 15 days. Doodeen informed LAW's lawyer that he has not been questioned yet or contacted by any prosecutor or the attorney general since he was detained on 28 November 1999.
The two detainees reported that their health is in good condition and that they are being treated well at the detention center. LAW's lawyer had noted the detainees are being held in a cell away from the remaining cells of the jail. However they are able to keep up to date with events by radio, obtained from their families through LAW's lawyers after a permit was given from the general intelligence administration.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has just received information (LAW) that Ahmad Shaker Doodeen and Abdi Sattar Qassem were released on 6th January 2000 from Nablus prison and Jericho Detention Centre respectively. According to the information, Khaled Al Qidra, Head of the Statre Security Court, informed the detainees that President Arafat had issued a release order for bail. They were required to sign a pledge that bound them to appear at police stations if summoned. Bail, was placed at 50,000 Jordanian Dinars (approximately $USD75,000) to be forfeited for non-compliance with the summons.
The International Secretariat of OMCT would like to thank all those institutions, organizations and individuals who intervened on their behalf. However, OMCT remains gravely concerned by the situation.
Actions requested
Please write to the Palestinian Authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and guarantee a full and impartial enquiry into all events;
ii. drop all charges against those Palestinian Legislative Council members mentioned or, if valid legal charges exist ensure that they are brought immediately before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times, in accordance with international human rights standards;
iii. implement the recommendations of the report on corruption which was released by the Palestinian Legislative Council in July 1997;
iv. finally request that all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards are guaranteed.
Addresses
Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 365/6 ( if voice, say "fax, please").
Freih Abu Meddein, Palestinian Authority, Minister of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 236
Khalid al-Qidrah, Attorney General, Palestinian Authority, Attorney General Building, Yarmouk, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2824 502.
Geneva, 12th January 2000
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up of Case PAL 011299, Case PAL 011299.1, Case 011299.2 and Case PAL 011299.3
Geneva 12th January 2000
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information concerning the following situation in the Palestinian Autonomous Areas.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT was informed by a number of reliable sources, including The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of a number of Palestinian political and social figures following the publication of a statement criticizing the Palestinian Authorities.
In a statement, released on 27th November, the Palestinian Authority (PA) was accused of adopting "a modus operandi of graft, corruption, humiliation and exploitation of the Palestinian people." Furthermore, that, "The PA President has opened the doors widely for the opportunists to spread corruption in the larger Palestinian street. The economic conditions have worsened, social bonds became weaker, the moral values of our people became lax, and destruction has befallen many of our health, educational and judicial institutions."
In the next few days, a number of those who had signed the statement, were arrested and detained by the Palestinian Authorities:
Abdel Sattar Qasem, 50, arrested 28th November
Dr. Abdelrahim Kittana
Dr. Adel Samara
Dr. Yaser Abusafiyya
Ahmad Katamesh
Dr, Afif Suleiman Judah, arrested in his house on 29th November
Ismat Shakhshir, summoned on 28th November and interrogated for 2 hours before she was released. Detained again on 29th November and awaits release.
Bassam Shaka'a and Anabta Waheed Alhamdalla, were both placed under house arrest.
Ahmad Shaker Doodeen
Adnan Odeh
The International Secretariat of OMCT received further information from the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), also a member of the OMCT network, that Ahmad Katamesh, Dr. Adel Samara and Abdul Sattar Qassem had been transferred to the General Intelligence detention centre in Jericho. They had been informed by the Jericho General Intelligence Services that they would not be visited, and were not given a satisfactory reason for this.
LAW's lawyer, Husni Kalboneh managed to visit Dr. Yasser Abusafiyyah, Afif Suleiman Judah and Adnan Odeh, held at the Police Criminal Department in Nablus. Also, the house arrest, under which Bassem Shaka'a and Waheed Alhamdalla were placed, was lifted on 30th November 1999. Ismat Shakhshir, professor at Al Najah University, was released on bail after refusing to sign a document of house arrest presented to her by officials.
According to further information received from LAW, on 19 December 1999, Adel Samara, Ahmad Katamesh, Dr. Afif Barabrah, Adnan Odeh, Dr. Abdelrahim Kittana and Dr. Yasser Abusafiyyah were released. Ahmad Shaker Doodeen, held in Nablus prison, and Abdi Sattar Qassem, held in Jericho detention center, were still detained.
According to information gathered by LAW, Khaled Al Qidra, Head of the State Security Court, informed the detainees that President Arafat had issued a release order for bail. They were required to sign a pledge that bound them to appear at police stations if summoned. Bail was placed at Jordanian Dinars 50,000 (approximately $75,000) to be forfeited for non-compliance with the summons.
Moreover, OMCT received further information from LAW, that on 5th January 2000, LAW's lawyer was able to visit Abdi Sattar Qassem and Ahmad Shaker Doodeen, the two detainees still being held by Palestinian general intelligence at the Jericho detention center.the two detainees explained that the State Security Court prosecution is still holding them and that the attorney general had renewed their detention period for the third successive time on 30 December 1999 for a further 15 days. Doodeen informed LAW's lawyer that he has not been questioned yet or contacted by any prosecutor or the attorney general since he was detained on 28 November 1999.
The two detainees reported that their health is in good condition and that they are being treated well at the detention center. LAW's lawyer had noted the detainees are being held in a cell away from the remaining cells of the jail. However they are able to keep up to date with events by radio, obtained from their families through LAW's lawyers after a permit was given from the general intelligence administration.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has just received information (LAW) that Ahmad Shaker Doodeen and Abdi Sattar Qassem were released on 6th January 2000 from Nablus prison and Jericho Detention Centre respectively. According to the information, Khaled Al Qidra, Head of the Statre Security Court, informed the detainees that President Arafat had issued a release order for bail. They were required to sign a pledge that bound them to appear at police stations if summoned. Bail, was placed at 50,000 Jordanian Dinars (approximately $USD75,000) to be forfeited for non-compliance with the summons.
The International Secretariat of OMCT would like to thank all those institutions, organizations and individuals who intervened on their behalf. However, OMCT remains gravely concerned by the situation.
Actions requested
Please write to the Palestinian Authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and guarantee a full and impartial enquiry into all events;
ii. drop all charges against those Palestinian Legislative Council members mentioned or, if valid legal charges exist ensure that they are brought immediately before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times, in accordance with international human rights standards;
iii. implement the recommendations of the report on corruption which was released by the Palestinian Legislative Council in July 1997;
iv. finally request that all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards are guaranteed.
Addresses
Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 365/6 ( if voice, say "fax, please").
Freih Abu Meddein, Palestinian Authority, Minister of Justice, Abu Khadra Building, Omar al-al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2822 236
Khalid al-Qidrah, Attorney General, Palestinian Authority, Attorney General Building, Yarmouk, Gaza, via Israel. Fax : + 972 7 2824 502.
Geneva, 12th January 2000
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.