Ref: 09/2022
Date: 02 February 2022
Time: 09:40 GMT
Yesterday, two students were shot during security services’ dispersal of a protest organized by high school students in front of the Ministry of Education in Tubas, northern West Bank, demanding the removal of parts of the curriculum. The security officers assaulted the sudents after one of them set a tire on fire; security services officers opened fire to disperse the students, resulting in two students sustaining shrapnel wounds.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the public prosecution to open an investigation into the incident and take all the necessary legal proceedings. Also, PCHR calls on the Palestinian National Authoritiy and and the Palestinian Prime Minister, in his capacity as Minister of Interior, to restrict the security services’ abuse of rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and international laws that are binding to Palestine.
According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 09:00 on Tuesday, 01 February 2022, a number of high school students organized a protest in front of the Ministry of Education in Tubas demanding the removal of parts of curriculum. While security officers were present in front of the Ministry of Education, one of the students set a tire on fire. The security officers immedateliy assaulted the students and opened fire to disperse them. As a result, two students sustained shrapnel wounds and received treatment at Tubas Turkish Hospital. The wounded high school students were identified as: ‘Odai Hitham ‘Abed al-Jawad (18), who sustained live bullet shrapnel wounds in his left knee; and Hamza Raied Jum’a (18), who sustained 6 live bullets shrapnel wounds in his thigh. Both of them are from Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas.
One of the students participating in the protest stated to PCHR’s fieldworker that on Tuesday morning, Tubas high school students gathered in the roundabout adjacent to Tubas Municipality in the center of the city. Afterwards, they headed to the Ministry of Education located at Tubas western entrance and they were accompanied by 2 police vehicles. The students protested in front of the ministry, while student-representatives were inside the building negotiating. Meanwhile, one of the students set a tire on fire, and a Palestinian
National Security Service vehicle that was accompanying the police force came and its officers assaulted the students with tasers and opened fire to disperse them. As a result, ‘Odai ‘Abed al-Jawad and Hamza Raied Jum’a were injured.
PCHR emphasizes that the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and the international human rights standards. PCHR stresses that Palestinian authority should respect the constitution and its international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, which ensures the right to peaceful assembly.
PCHR also calls upon the Palestinian government to take the necessary measures to stop such attacks and show respect for public freedoms that are constitutionally ensured according to international human rights standards.