Ref: 110/2008

Date: 01 December 2008

Time: 11:00 GMT

PCHR Calls for Investigating the Death of Kamel Nofal at the Hands of Police in El-Maghazi Refugee Camp

PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General to open a serious investigation into the circumstances that lead to the death of Kamel Mohammad Nofal (41) from El-Maghazi refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip. Nofal was killed by a bullet fired from a policeman’s pistol during an attempt to arrest the victim yesterday.

The Center’s preliminary investigation and eye witness accounts indicate that at approximately 11:00 on Sunday, 30 November 2008, four policemen arrived in El-Maghazi market and detained Kamel Mohammad Nofal. They took him to a police vehicle outside the market in to arrest him. Nofal refused to get into the vehicle; and several persons gathered around the vehicle. A policeman fired two bullets to disburse the gathering; and one of the bullets hit Nofal. The policemen immediately took Nofal to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah for treatment. However, he died before reaching the hospital. The Forensic Medicine Department at Shifa Hospital in Gaza stated that Nofal died as a result of a bullet wound to the chest.

The Police announced on their web site yesterday that “during an attempt to arrest Nofal, a scuffle broke out between him and the police as he tried to flee. As a result, a bullet was accidentally fired, killing him. The Police have opened an investigation into the incident.”

PCHR calls for taking the necessary steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, and:

–         Calls for a serious investigation into the incident, and for publicizing the results of the investigation.

–         Affirms the need for clear and precise instructions regulating the use of firearms by law-enforcement personnel, in line with international human rights standards.