PRESS RELEASE

Released @ 12:00 GMT 27^th May 1998

The Palestinian High Court Grants the Attorney General Eight Days to Present Reasons for the Continued Detention of Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi

The Palestinian High Court of Justice convened today, 27 May 1998, to consider an appeal presented by lawyers of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights on behalf of Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi who has been detained by Palestinian Police since 9 April 1998. In their appeal, the lawyers of PCHR demanded that Palestinian Attorney General present reason for the continued detention of their defendant and demanded also that he should be released immediately for the lack of due process in his arrest. The Court has granted the Attorney General eight day to respond.

The Court issued on 29 April similar order to the Attorney General, and decided also to allow lawyers of PCHR to visit Dr. Rantisi. Until today, the lawyers were denied access to visit him and no reasons were presented by the Attorney General for his arrest.

During today’s hearing, the representative of the Attorney General asked the court to extend the period ordered by the court on April 29 to present reason for the arrest of Dr. Rantisi. He justified this demand saying that the Attorney General did not knew about the arrest of Dr. Rantisi, and that he addressed the concerned bodies to give him reasons for this arrest, but received no response until then.

Lawyers of PCHR expressed their surprise before the Court with regards to the statement of the Attorney General’s representative. Firstly, his written demand to extend the period ordered by the Court was signed by the Attorney General, while his post has been vacant since the resignation of former Attorney General, Mr. Fayez Abu Rahmeh in early May. Secondly, the statement was an evident supporting the Center’s appeal that Dr. Rantisi has been detained illegally and that the Attorney General knew nothing about his file.

According to Palestinian law, detainees shall be brought before a judge during 48 hours of their arrest. The law dictates also that the judge may extend the detention of a person up to 15 days, and that no person may be detained for a period of more than 30 days without a written application to the court signed by the Attorney General.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights reiterates its demand of the immediate release of Dr. Abdel Aziz Ratisi and all prisoners held illegally and in defiance with the rule of law.