Ref: 86/2013
Date: 25 August 2013
Time: 12:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is concerned over summoning a number of Fatah movement activists in Khan Yunis by the Internal Security Service (ISS) last week. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to take necessary measures to make security services follow summons’ procedures according to the Palestinian Basic Law and in order to stop issuing summons on political grounds.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, a number of Fatah activists in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, received summons to refer to the ISS office in the city. Summons were mainly sent to 10 activists on Wednesday and Thursday, 21 and 22 August 2013 respectively. According to statements collected by PCHR, those activists were detained from 09:00 until the afternoon, during which time they were questioned on their positions towards the ongoing situation in Egypt and if they had any information about “Tamarrud” (Rebellion) Movement that was launched on the Facebook. Interrogators also took passwords of the detainees’ emails and Facebook accounts.

Of those who were summoned were:

1. Mohammed Mousa al-Jadili;
2. Ra’ef Salama Shurrab;
3. Yehia Zakariya al-‘Aqqad;
4. Jehad mohammed Mousa;
5. Nabil Abdul Rahman Shneino;
6. Saleh Abu Hamed;
7. Jehad Sha’at;
8. Khattab al-Faq’awi;
9. Walid Shaqqoura; and
10. Nourhan Hamatto al-‘Aqqad.

PCHR is concerned over summons sent to a number of Fatah activists and:

1. Stresses that “Personal freedom is a natural right, and shall be guaranteed and protected,” according to the Palestinian Basic Law that also stipulates: “It is unlawful to arrest, search, imprison, restrict the freedom, or prevent the movement of, any person, except by judicial order.” Besides, “Every arrested person shall be informed of the reasons for his arrest or detention;”
2. Reminds of the decision issued by the Palestinian High Court of Justice on 20 February 1999, which considers political detention illegal and demands all executive authorities to respect the court’s decision and stop the exercise of illegal political detention;
3. Points out that detention is regulated in the Palestinian law and is under the authority of judicial warranty officers represented in the civil police that is a direct subordinate of the Attorney General;