Ref: 09/2013
Date: 03 February 2013
Time: 13:00 GMT
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the Public Prosecutor in Gaza to seriously investigate the shooting of a man by the Palestinian police in Rafah on Saturday, 2nd February, 2013. PCHR reiterates its call for the government in Gaza to take necessary measures to restrict the use of firearms by law enforcement officials, and to ensure compliance with the Palestinian laws and international standards related to the use of firearms.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 02:00 hours on Saturday, 2nd February, 2013, Atiya Suleiman Qishta, 41, was admitted to the Martyr Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah as he had been wounded by a gunshot to the back. Medical efforts to save his life failed and he was pronounced dead an hour later. According to police sources, 8 members of the anti-drug unit of the police set an ambush for Qishta to arrest him in Othman Ben Affan Street near Zo’rob Building in Rafah. The police sources added that Qishta stepped down from his car, and when police officers ordered him to stop, he attempted to escape. In response a police official fired a number of bullets at him. The police has opened an investigation into the incident.
PCHR stresses that law enforcement officials are not entitled to fire at people unless their lives or the lives of people who are mandated to protect are at risk, according to international standards related to the use of firearms.
Accordingly, as there have been increasing casualties as a result of the misuse of weapons by security officers in Gaza:
