PCHR Calls Upon Public Prosecution to Open Investigation into Death Circumstances of Detainee in Hebron
Ref: 53/2022
Time: 06 May 2022
Time: 10:00 GMT
Yesterday afternoon, medical sources declared the death of a detainee in Hebron Governmental Hospital two days after he was admitted to the hospital from a police detention center in Hebron.
According to investigation conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at around 23:30 on Thursday, 05 May 2022, medical sources at Hebron Governmental Hospital declared death of a detainee namely Ahmed Mohammed ‘Abdel Hadi al-Warasnah (39), from al-Shyoukh village, northern Hebron, due to brain death only after two days of his arrival at the hospital from a police detention center, when he was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and then admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Al-Warasnah was arrested by police on Saturday, 30 April 2022, when he was with his kids at al-Shyoukh village entrance, allegedly upon a warrant issued by the judiciary to arrest him for 91 days on financial grounds.
Nael Badarin, Director of Sa’ir Police Station, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the police arrested al-Warasnah for there were 11 warrants issued against him on financial grounds, including writs of execution and sentences. Thus, he was referred to the detention center of Sa’ir police station upon his request not to be referred to al-Qal’ah detention center to settle his disputes with the complainants. Badarin added that around 11:00 on Tuesday, 03 May 2022, the guard heard noise in the cell, where al-Warasnah was detained alone. When the guard entered, he found him hanged with a piece of a blanket around his neck tied to the window guards. He put him down and took him via an ambulance to the Hebron Governmental Hospital.
‘Abdel Hadi al-Warasnah, the deceased’s brother, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:
“My brother was married and has a family of 8 to support. He works in construction in the West Bank. At around 17:30 on 30 April 2022, my brother was heading in his car with his kids to buy grocery when two Palestinian police cars surrounded him; some of officers were in civilian clothes. My brother tried to escape, but one of the officers chased him and punched him to his back twice until my brother fell on the ground and was taken to a police station.
On Sunday, 01 May 2022, two of his sons and his nephew went to visit him but were denied allegedly for non scheduled visits at the time; they handed some clothes to the police. On 03 May 2022, I was in Jericho when I received a call from a relative telling me that my brother died in the police station. I immediately went to Hebron to the police station, where there were 15 officers in the yard. I met the station’s director, who told us that my brother attempted suicide and was taken to the governmental hospital. When we arrived at the hospital, security forces were there and informed us that doctors told them my brother’s heart and brain stopped and he was given CPR. His brain was dead due to severe oxygen deprivation, and he was admitted to the ICU until his death was declared.”
PCHR emphasizes that the Public Prosecution, Ministry of Interior, and the General Directorate of the Rehabilitation and Reform Centers are fully responsible for the detainees’’ lives and such incidents regardless of the reason, as codified in Article (7) of the Rehabilitation and Reform Centers Law no. 6/1998, which provides that “… inmates in any prison remain under the legal guardianship of the prison director.” Moreover, PA has international obligations under the first rule of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules,” which stipulates that “…. the safety and security of prisoners…. shall be ensured at all times.”
PCHR calls upon the Public Prosecution to open an investigation into the death circumstances, ensuring that all measures taken to deal with him were appropriate, publish the results to the public and take all the necessary legal proceedings.