URGENT COMMUNIQUE

PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WRITES TO PRESIDENT ARAFAT FOLLOWING DEATH OF MAHMOUD JMAIEL

Published @ 09:00 GMT/4 August 1996

Yesterday, 3 August 1996, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights prepared a letter to President Arafat following the death of Palestinian detainee Mahmoud Jmaiel. Jmaiel’s death would appear to have resulted from torture inflicted by the Palestinian security services during the course of interrogation.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights commended the Palestinian Authority for taking swift action in making accountable those responsible for the death of Jmaiel. However, the Centre also called upon the Palestinian Authority to adopt procedures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

Specifically, the Centre called for the following measures:

1) Procedures for arrest, detention, and interrogation must be established and made known publicly.

2) All those who have been involved in previous cases of torture of detainees must be held accountable.

3) A clear and distinct division of responsibility and a chain of command within the security srevices must be established and published.

4) Order and calm must be restored through peaceful means within the Occupied Territories, which should include negotiations and discussions between the Palestinian Authority and groups within Palestinian society.