Ref: 54/2009

 

Date: 22 April 2009

 

Time: 11: 30 GMT

 

PCHR Notes with Grave Concern the Arrest of Dr. Abdul Sattar Qasem by the Palestinian Police in Nablus

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses its concern at the arrest of Dr. Abdul Sattar Tawfiq Qasem Khaliliya, 61, by the Palestinian police in Nablus yesterday. PCHR is concerned that the arrest of Dr. Qassem – a professor of political science at An-Najah National University in Nablus – may be politically motivated, and related to his participation on a TV program on the al-Aqsa Satellite Channel.

PCHR’s investigations indicate that on Monday evening, 20 April 2009, Dr. Qassem received a telephone call from the al-Aqsa Satellite Channel, the mouthpiece of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). He was asked to comment on the recent attack against Sheikh Hamed al-Bitawi, a PLC member for the Reform and Change Bloc (Hamas). Dr. Qassem responded over the phone, noting that the incident served Israeli and American interests. As soon as he finished the call, he received several telephone threats from persons in Nablus city. At approximately 19:00 on Monday, 20 April 2009, a vehicle of the Preventive Security Service arrived at Dr. Qassem’s house. The persons in the vehicle served Dr. Qassem wirh a summons, requesting that he present himself before the Preventive Security Service the following day. Immediately, Dr. Qassem drove his car to the police station in the center of Nablus city in order to submit a complaint regarding the threats he received.

Major Ashraf Metleq, director of public relations in the Palestinian police in Nablus, informed PCHR that Dr. Qassem was arrested following an order given by the Prosecutor General. The arrest was in connection with case no. 864/864 Nablus Prosecution, and upon an order by Nablus Magistrates Court in connection with case no. 794/2009. Metleq added that Dr. Qassem is detained in Nablus Prison and that the security services are not involved in his detention. He explained that the police received complaints from two civilians accusing Dr. Qassem of slandering, libeling and defaming them, and accusing them of espionage through visible and print media.

According to data made available to PCHR, the Nablus Magistrates Court held a session on 21 April 2009 to review case no. 794/2009, filed by Mahdi Subhi Abdul Rahim against Dr. Qassem on charges of defamation. The Court postponed its session until 14 May 2009. The other complaint was filed by Ne’man ‘Amer, a member of the Preventive Security Service. ‘Amer is currently detained by the Military Intelligence Service in Nablus in relation to a 19 April 2009 attack on Hamed al-Bitawi, a PLC member for the Reform and Change Bloc.

In view of the above, PCHR:

1. Deplores the detention of a public commentator by the security services. PCHR believe that this arrest may be politically motivated.
2. Notes the decision of the Palestinian High Court on 20 February 1999, which held that political arrests are illegal. All law enforcement bodies must respect the Court’s decision and refrain from the implementation of illegal political arrests.
3. Reiterates that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed by Palestinian Basic Law and by international human rights instruments.