Field Update

Before yesterday, Mutaz Munif Said Asrawi, 32,
from Alar village in the north of Tulkarem was killed as he was wounded in his
chest by a bullet fired from his firearm with which his child was playing
inside their house. This incident is a part of the security chaos and misuse of
weapons plaguing the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT).

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), on Tuesday evening, 15 March 2011,
Deya, 6, the son of Asrawi who is first lieutenant in the Military Intelligence
Service, was playing with his father’s pistol inside their house. A bullet was
fired from the pistol and hit Asrawi who was immediately killed. PCHR was told
that the office of the Attorney General is still investigating into the
circumstances of the incidents.

PCHR notes with grave concern that casualties
continue to be caused by the misuse of weapons and that this incident is a part
of the state of security chaos plaguing the OPT. PCHR also calls upon the Palestinian
Authority to establish controls necessary to prevent the recurrence of such
incidents and to provide protection for civilians.