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Press Release

 A Palestinian prisoner dies in custody of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service under suspicious circumstances

Ref: 44/2001

Date: 15 August 2001

 The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has conveyed a request to the Palestinian Attorney General, asking him to initiate an investigation into the death of Suleiman ‘Qweidh Mohammed Abu ‘Amra, 38, from Deir El-Balah, the father of 8 children.  In its message, PCHR noted that Abu ‘Amra was arrested by the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service on August 8, 2001.  He was detained at the service’s headquarters in Gaza City, without his family having been allowed to visit him.  On Wednesday, August 15, 2001, at approximately 01:00 local time, his family was informed that he had died.  Members of the family were summoned to the headquarters of the service in Gaza City, where they were informed that he had died from a heart attack while he was being interrogated, and they were asked to retrieve his body from Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City.

 A PCHR lawyer, who saw the prisoner’s body this morning at Shifa’ Hospital, stated that there were blue marks on Abu ‘Amra’s wrists, back and legs.  PCHR is concerned that the prisoner may have been physically tortured during his detention, possibly contributing to his death.  PCHR, upon the authorization of Abu ‘Amra’s family, called for an investigation into his death and for an autopsy to be performed, according to order 554 of 1957, which provides that the Attorney General or his representative is responsible for investigating suspicious deaths.