PRESS RELEASE Released on 09:40 GMT on 6 October, 1997

APPEAL REJECTED FOR DR. FATHI SOBOH

Today, 6 October, 1997, the Palestinian Supreme Court of Justice rejected the appeal for the release of Dr. Fathi Soboh. The grounds for rejection of the writ of habeus corpus (the appeal) were that the High Court had no jurisdiction over cases in the State Security Court. The lawyers for Dr Soboh, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, were deeply shocked by the decision of the High Court.

Dr. Fathi Soboh was arrested on 2 July 1997 without a warrant from the Attorney-General inviolation of Palestinian law. Dr Soboh is spending his 96^th day in detention. During this time, no charges nor formal allegations have been made against him.

It appears that Dr. Soboh was arrested for preparing examination questions amongst which students were asked questions about corruption within the Palestinian Authority and within his university, Al Azhar in Gaza; where these examinations took place on 22 June 1997. This occurred after the publication of the PNA’s audit report which declared publicly that there was widespread corruption and whilst two other professors (Dr Ayoub Othman and Dr Ahmad Dhalan) were subject.

The State Security Court was established in February 1995 by the Palestinian National Authority, by decree from the President, to try politically-sensitive cases that have a security dimension, after pressure from Israel and the United States to do so. Its formation, continued existence and activity has been vigorously opposed by Palestinian human rights organisations because it acts in violation of all standards of fair trial, justice and due process. Furthermore, human rights groups had warned of and condemned the manner in which it has had a destructive impact on the independence of the judiciary and civil society in Palestine.

The Palestinian Centre will continue to seek Dr Soboh’s release by arguing publicly for the right to academic freedom and to the freedom of expression – both of which are essential for the development of a civil democratic society in Palestine – and by highlighting the unlawful nature of Dr Soboh’s arrest and continued detention.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights urgently appeals to all Palestinian institutions, governmental and non-governmental, and the international community to seek the immediate release of Dr Soboh from detention.