Ref: 96/2020

Date: 25 September 2020

Time: 10:45 GMT

On Thursday evening, 24 September 2020, a money changer’s corpse was found inside a house in Khan Younis with a live bullet in the head, hours after his family announced his disappearance. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply concerned over the increasing social violence phenomenon, as violent incidents increased in recent period including crime, family disputes, and misuse of weapons in addition to other forms that jeopardize the right to life, the rule of law, and the Palestinian civil peace.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 13:30 on Thursday, 24 September 2020, Ahmed Zaki al-Bashiti (53), a money changer carrying USD 150,000 at the time of his disappearance, headed to a man’s house in Khan Younis to conclude a financial transaction. Shortly after, al-Bashiti’s family tried to contact him, but the connection was cut off. As several hours passed by without hearing back from al-Bashiti, his family grew concerned especially that he had a large sum of money on him. They reported his disappearance and concerns to the police and informed them that al-Bashiti’s last known whereabouts were at a person’s house in Khan Younis.

At approximately 18:30 on the same day, the police raided a house in Khan Younis and conducted a preliminary investigation with the resident, who confessed to killing al-Bashiti with a live bullet to the head. The motive of his crime was to steal the money, and he added that he buried al-Bashiti’s body in his backyard. The police seized the stolen money and the gun with the presence of the competent authorities, recovered al-Bashiti’s body and referred it to the Forensic Medicine Department. The police also arrested the suspect and a number of his family members.

According to the police statement, on Thursday, the General Investigation Service (GIS) were notified that a money changer, Ahmed Zaki al-Bashiti (53), had gone missing in Khan Yunis. After several hours of searching and investigations, GIS arrested a suspect.

After the crime was discovered, young men from al-Bashiti and al-Sha’ir families and others gathered in central Khan Yunis, where they set tires on fire, as well as a ship belonging to the suspect’s relative. Others tried to access the suspect’s house, but the heavy presence of police deterred further escalation.

Today morning, the Public Prosecution issued a statement confirming that it had examined the victim’s corpse and transferred it to the Forensic Medicine Department. Also, it mandated the evidence collection team to inspect the crime scene. The accused persons were interrogated and charged. The Prosecution added that they are keen to end the procedures as soon and as accurate as possible and intends to refer the case file to the competent court within a week.

PCHR is deeply concerned over the increasing number of attacks on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), and calls upon the competent authorities to enforce stringent measures in the face of the increasing manifestations of weapons use outside the rule of law, especially in recent times, which resulted in the death and injury of several Palestinians.