Ref: 78/2010

The Palestinian Center for Human
Rights (PCHR) condemns the continuous arrest campaigns, which have been carried
out by the Palestinian security services against members and supporters of
Hamas in the West Bank for three successive days.  PCHR reiterates its call upon the Palestinian
National Authority (PNA) and security services to stop arbitrary detentions, to
promptly release all political detainees, and to end the practice of political
detention.

According to investigations
conducted by PCHR, on Tuesday afternoon, 31 August 2010, following an armed attack
in the southeast of Hebron, which left 4 Israeli settlers dead, and to which
the Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) claimed
responsibility, the Palestinian security services waged an arbitrary detention
campaign against dozens of members and supporters of Hamas in different areas
in the West Bank.  Traders, teachers,
university students, professionals, and imams of mosques, etc. have been
arrested.  Many of whom were arrested at
home or at work, while the others were arrested after they had been summoned by
phone to come to the security services’ offices.  According to information collected by PCHR’s field
workers, at least 153 persons have been arrested in different areas in the West
Bank so far[1],
as detention campaign is still ongoing; 45 persons have been detained in
Hebron, while the others are distributed as follows: 6 in Bethlehem; 11 in Ramallah and al-Bireh; 15 in Nablus; 6 in Jenin; 8 in Tubas; 19 in Qalqilya; 23 in Tulkarm; and 20 in Salfit.

PCHR reiterates it condemnation for
political detention and the torture crimes against the detainees which accompany
it, and:

1. Reminds
   of the ruling issued by the Palestinian Supreme Court of Justice on 20
   February 1999, which considers political detention illegal and demands all
   executive bodies respect the Court ruling and stop practicing political
   detention;
2. Emphasizes
   that detention is covered by Palestinian law and falls within the
   competence of judicial warranty officers, represented in the police, who
   work under the direct orders and supervision of the Attorney-General; and
3. Calls
   for the immediate release of all political detainees who are held by
   Palestinian security services in the West Bank.