Ref: 8/2011 

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
condemns the arrest and questioning of five Palestinians by the security
services in Tulkarm in the northern West Bank, following a dispute with the
Imam of Uthman Ben Affan Mosque in Tulkarm city. PCHR stresses that the right
to freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law
and by international human rights instruments.

According to PCHR investigations, following the
prayer of Friday, 25 February 2011, the security services (the Preventive
Security Service, the General Investigation Service and the General
Intelligence Service) in Tulkarm city arrested five Palestinians who had
performed the Friday prayer in Uthman Ben Affan Mosque, following a dispute
that erupted between them and the Imam.

The Preventive Security Service arrested
Islambouli Reyadh Bdeir, 25, and Abdul Rahman Ibrahim al-Habn, 23, both of whom
are university students. Bdeir and al-Habn were released in the evening of the
same day. Fawwaz Abdul Fattah Hejazi, 40, who is a merchant was arrested by the
General Investigation Service and was referred later to the Preventive Security
Service. He was released in the evening of Saturday, 26 February 2010. The
General Intelligence Service arrested Imad Mohammed Sreidi, 40, who is a
merchant and who was released in the evening of Saturday, 26 February 2011. The
Preventive Security Service also arrested Mohammed Abdul Karim Nassar, 40, who
was released in the morning of Sunday, 27 February 2011.

It should be noted that a dispute erupted
between a number of worshipers and the Imam after the Imam criticized the
television channel al-Jazeera while reading the standardized speech which the
Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs distributes to Imams in the West Bank.
A number of the worshipers left the mosque while other worshipers performed the
prayers without listening to the speech.

PCHR condemns the arrest and interrogation of
Palestinians by the security services in the West Bank because they expressed
their opinions and:

1. Stresses that the Palestinian Basic Law
   guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Article 19
   which stipulates that: “Freedom of opinion may not be prejudiced.
   Every person shall have the right to express his opinion and to circulate
   it orally, in writing or in any form of expression or art, with due
   consideration to the provisions of the law.”
2. Stresses that arrests are regulated by the
   Palestinian law and fall within the competence of law enforcement officers
   who are represented in the police and who receive orders from the Attorney
   General.
3. Calls upon the Palestinian security
   services to respect international human rights standards and the
   Palestinian Basic Law and other relevant laws.