PCHR Condemns Dispersion of Peaceful Assembly Using Force and Detention of Some Participants

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The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the dispersion of a spontaneous peaceful assembly of dozens of Palestinian civilians and the detention of a number of these civilians by the Palestinian police yesterday.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 20:00 on Wednesday, 27 April 2011, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including women, spontaneously gathered in the Unknown Soldier Yard, in support for reconciliation efforts between Fatah and Hamas movements declared in the Egyptian capital (Cairo) declared on the same day.

At approximately 20:30, 4 police vehicles arrived at the area, and immediately many police officers, some of whom were wearing civilian clothes, stepped down. They violently beat, insulated and chased the participants.

They also arrested 5 of the participants, including Mr. Jamal Farawana, a defender of prisoners’ rights, who was violently beaten, and Mr. Talal Abi Zarifa, a leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The detainees were transported to the headquarters of the Police Investigation Bureau in Ansar security compound in the west of Gaza City. The detainees were held in a room for half an hour, and they were then released without being interrogated.

In light of the above:

1. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to seriously investigate attacking, beating and arresting participants in the peaceful assembly in the Unknown Soldier Yard, especially as such attacks by security services have been recurred.

2. PCHR emphasizes that the right to peaceful assembly is ensured under the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.

3. PCHR calls upon Palestinian security services to respect international human rights standards, the Palestinian Basic Law and other relevant laws.