HTML clipboard

Ref: 100/2005

Date: 23 August 2005

Time: 10:00 GMT

Kidnappers Must Face Punishment Not Reward

While PCHR welcomes the release of a French journalist of Algerian origin, Mohammed al-Wati, on Monday, 22^nd of August 2005, it calls upon the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to investigate his case and bring those who kidnapped him to justice.  PCHR is astonished that no information has been revealed as regarding his release, the identities of the kidnappers and whether the PNA has taken any legal measures against them.

Mohammed al-Wati, 46, a sound operator for the French Channel 3, was kidnapped in Gaza City on 14 August 2005.  He had been held as a hostage for 9 days without the kidnappers declaring their identity or their demands.  This latest kidnap was different from previous incidents in the Gaza Strip as hostages were released in a few hours.  The identity of the kidnappers has not been so far revealed and no details about the journalist’s releases or whether the PNA took any legal measures against the kidnappers have been disclosed.  PCHR is concerned that the PNA will not take any legal measures against the kidnappers as it was the case in similar incidents that took place recently in the Gaza Strip. 

While it strongly condemns all crimes of kidnapping targeting both internationals and Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which reflects the serious deterioration in the internal security and attacks on the rule of law:

1.      PCHR is concerned for the way the PNA deal with crimes of kidnapping as these crimes have been settled by the intervention of mediators without any legal measures having been taken against the kidnappers.  PCHR believes that such indulgence with the crimes of kidnapping encourages undermining the rule of law and the recurrence of such crimes. 

2.      PCHR calls upon the PNA to investigate the kidnapping of the French journalist and other similar kidnappings and bring the kidnappers to justice. 

 ************************

For more information please call: +972 (0)- 8 – 2824776 – 2825893.* 

*Office Hours are between 0800 – 1600 hours (0500 GMT – 1300 GMT) Sun – Thurs.

……………………………………………………………

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893

email: [email protected]      website: www.pchrgaza.org