Ref: 57/2007

Date: 11 July 2007

Time: 12:30 GMT

PCHR Calls for Investigation into the Death of a Detainee in Suspicious Circumstances in Gaza Central Prison

PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General to open an immediate investigation into the death of Fadel Dahmash in Gaza Central Prison on Tuesday evening, 10 July 2007, and to order an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 19:00 on Tuesday, 10 July 2007, the body of Fadel Mohammed Saleem Dahmash, 31, from Deir al-Balah, was brought into Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The body was transferred to the hospital from Gaza Central Prison. According to a letter from the manager of the prison to the hospital, Dahmash suffered from a heart failure and had difficulties in breathing. The body is still at the hospital, and has not been checked by forensic medicine specialists so far due to the lack of instructions from the Attorney-General.

The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad) captured Dahmash for suspicions of his collaboration with Israeli occupation authorities. The web page of the al-Quds Brigades showed on Thursday, 5 July 2007, a video clip of a person, whom it described as a collaborator with Israeli security services, and named as F.D. The web page reported that the al-Quds Brigades were able to capture him red-handed on Wednesday, 4 July 2006, in the east of the Gaza Strip. The video clip shows a person getting out of an Israeli military jeep, taking off his military uniform and putting on civilian clothes at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, and then jumping over the border to enter the Gaza Strip. PCHR then called upon the al-Quds Brigades to ensure the safety and life of the suspect, and to hand him to concerned bodies at the Palestinian National Authority.

Samir Dahmash, the victim’s brother, informed PCHR’s fieldworker that al-Quds Brigades released his brother on Thursday, 5 July 2007. There were signs of torture on his body. He added that the Executive Force detained him on Friday, 6 July 2007; and that he was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah on the same day. The Executive Force took the victim to an undisclosed location later in the morning. Hospital records indicate that the victim was admitted to the surgery ward and released on the same day.

In light of the above:

1)      PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General, according to the powers granted to him under the Penal Procedures Law #3 of 2001, to immediately instruct concerned bodies to conduct forensic checking for Dahmash’s body to find out the circumstances of his death.

2)      PCHR reiterates its call for the Attorney-General and the civil police to resume their work in the Gaza Strip to preserve the rights of people.