Ref: 99/2011

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
condemns the decision taken by Internal Security Service (ISS) to prevent Dr.
Zakariya al-Agha (71), a leader of Fatah Movement and Head of the Refugees
Affairs Department in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), from
traveling to the West Bank via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza
Strip. PCHR calls upon the Ministry of
Interior in the Gaza Strip to respect civil liberties and to end measures that
may restrict the right to freedom of movement; a right that is guaranteed under
the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR,
at approximately 10:00 on Monday, 26 September 2011, security officers
positioned at the customs checkpoint to the south of Beit Hanoun crossing
informed Dr. al-Agha that he was banned from traveling to Ramallah after he had
waited for an hour at the checkpoint. Wesam al-Agha, Director of Dr. al-Agha’s Office stated that there was
coordination by telephone with the Ministry of Interior located in Abu Khadra
government compound in Gaza regarding Dr. al-Agha’s travel to Ramallah on 26
September. The travel request was
approved, but the security services prevented him from traveling.

It should be noted that cases of prevention of
figures and leaders of Fatah movement from traveling abroad -whether via Rafah
International Crossing Point, south of the Gaza Strip, or via Beit Hanoun
(Erez) crossing, north of the Gaza Strip- have been frequent.

PCHR condemns the measures taken by security
services in Gaza Strip to restrict the movement of civilians. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to
stop these measures and respect the right to freedom of movement, which is
guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights
standards.