Ref: 7/2012
Date: 17 January 2012
Time: 11:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the attack against Mahmoud Abu Rahma, a human rights defender and Director of Communication and International Relations Unit in Al Mezan Center for Human Rights by unknown persons last Friday evening in Gaza City. PCHR calls upon the competent authorities to investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators before justice.

According to statements made by Mahmoud Abu Rahma, 38, who lives in Tal al-Hawa district in Gaza City, at approximately 23:15 on Friday, 13 January 2012, Abu Rahma was walking from the house of his brother Mohammed to his nearby home. On his way home three masked persons carrying sharp tools attacked Abu Rahma and stabbed him in his back, leg and shoulders. Abu Rahma sustained a stab wound in his hand as he tried to defend himself from attacks to his chest. Abu Rahma stated that the attackers had tried to stab him in his chest; however his laptop, which blocked a lot of the attacks, saved him. The attackers then withdrew while shouting death threats and insults. Abu Rahma called a doctor from the neighborhood to provide him with medical treatment. It was found that Abu Rahma sustained injuries from stabbing to his right thigh and left hand, which required stitching. Abu Rahma also sustained slim wounds in his back.

It should be noted that this attack is the second of its kind on Abu Rahma within two weeks. On 03 January 2012, he sustained an unarmed attack by unknown persons.

Abu Rahma noted that he recently received many threats on his mobile phone and e-mail. These threats included insults and threats to his life. The last threat he received was a few hours before the attack. Based on the threats that Abu Rahma received, these attacks were launched on the ground of an opinion piece titled “Absent Protection: Among Resistance, Government and Citizens” that Abu Rahma had authored. PCHR has witnessed some of the threats, including a threat that read “Death to Abu Rahma.”

PCHR strongly condemns the attack on Abu Rhama and:

1. Calls upon competent authorities to seriously investigate the two attacks on Abu Rahma and bring the perpetrators before justice.
2. Stresses that the freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and its amendments and under international human rights instruments.