PRESS RELEASE
Ref.,: 60/99
Date: 23rd May, 1999
In an urgent letter sent this afternoon, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) demanded to know from the Office of the Palestinian Attorney General the reasons for the continued arrest of Dr. Ghazi Hamad, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Risala Weekly, the Islamic Salvation Party’s newspaper.
Dr. Hamad received a phone call yesterday afternoon, May 22, 1999, from the Palestinian police summoning him to the police department in order to meet General Ghazi Jabali, Chief of the Palestinian police. Dr. Hamad went to the police department at 6:00 p.m. yesterday and has been in custody since then. Yahia Mousa, Secretary General of the Islamic Salvation Party, testified to PCHR that he was informed by the office of Taib Abdul Rahim, Secretary General of the Presidency, that Dr. Hamad was being interrogated about a report published by Al-Risala covering the case of Ayman Al-Amasi.
On May 20, 1999, Al-Risala reported that Al-Amasi, who was detained by the Palestinian police on March 14, 1999, had been transferred unconscious to Al-Shifa Hospital. Al-Risala added that the family of Al-Amasi said that he was subjected to torture. In the same article, Al-Risala quoted General Jabali as saying that Al-Amasi attempted to commit suicide in his cell. While producing this press release, PCHR was informed that Wissam Afifa, the author of the article was also summoned to the police department. No further information was available on this development.
PCHR lawyers are working now to secure the immediate release of Dr. Hamad. PCHR believes that the critical article published by Al-Risala was in conformity with the Palestinian Press Law of 1995. Article 42 of this law, however, covers any such dispute. It requires that cases should be reviewed by a civil court and that any investigations should be carried out by the Palestinian Attorney General.
It is worth mentioning that the case of Al-Amasi has been followed closely by PCHR lawyers. On May 11, 1999, PCHR wrote to the Office of the Palestinian Attorney General demanding that it investigate the circumstances and the reasons for the deterioration in Al-Amasi’s health. No response has been received yet from the Office of the Attorney General. Until now, Al-Amasi remains in the intensive care unit at Al-Shifa Hospital in critical condition. According to the medical reports released by the hospital (Palestinian Ministry of Health), Al-Amasi’s upper arms are blue from apparent blows. Also, according to the hospital report, there are red marks around his neck.
PCHR emphasizes the following:
(This press release is the translated version of the original Arabic release which was issued yesterday, May 23, 1999. In the interim, Dr. Hamad was released.)
For More Information Contact:
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Tel/Fax: (+) 9727 2824776 / 2823725
E-mail: [email protected], Web page: www.pchrgaza.org
