Ref:
52/2010

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns continued
summons sent to members of Hamas by security services in the West Bank and the illegal
detention of Hamas members. PCHR
reiterates its call to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and security
services to stop arbitrary detentions, to promptly release all political
detainees, and to end the practice of political detention.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Monday 21 June 2010, sixteen
persons from Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Qalqilya received summons to appear
before the General Intelligence Service (GIS). Those who received summons included three members of the Municipal
Council in Nablus and the Director of Programs at al-Quds Satellite
Channel. According to testimonies given
by the detainees’ relatives to PCHR, a GIS force came to their houses with
summons requiring each person to go immediately to the GIS headquarter in
al-Makhfiya neighborhood in Nablus, where, upon arrival, they were
directly transferred to Jnaid Prison in Rafidia neighborhood in the west of the
city.

The wife of Mahdi al-Hanbali, Deputy Director of Nabuls Municipality,
and one of those receiving a summons, stated to PCHR that a GIS force came to
their house at approximately 22:00, on Monday 21 June 2010, but they were not
at home. She added that at the same
time, her husband received a phone call from a person claiming that he works
for the GIS who asked Mr. al-Hanbali to go immediately to the GIS headquarter
in al-Makhfiya neighborhood in Nablus. Mrs. al-Hanbli said that her husband went immediately to the GIS
headquarter after receiving these instructions and from there he was
transferred directly to Jnaid Prison. After being subjected to Shabah[1],
Mr. al-Hanabli was released at approximately 02:30 on Tuesday, 22 June 2010, on
the condition that he returns at 09:00 the same day. Mrs. al-Hanbali also said that her husband was
not questioned, and he was released for the second time on condition that he
returns on Wednesday morning, 23 June 2010.

The detainees are:

1. Mahdi al-Hanbali,
Deputy Director of Nablus Municipality;

2. ‘Anan Ghazal, member
of Nablus Municipal Council;

3. Ghassan al-Jawhari,
member of Nablus Municipal Council;

4. Nawwaf Ibrahim
al-‘Amer, Director of Programs and Production at al-Quds Satellite Channel;

5. ‘Alaa’ Fedda,  teacher;

6. Ali Qatnani;

7. Fathi al-Hayek;

8. Abdul Latif al-Samhan;

9. Ra’ed Hassan al-Monir;

10. Mahmoud al-Sha’bi; and

11. Iyad ‘Asfour (all of
them are from Nablus);

12. Madi Sameh al-Qeilani,
member of the Municipal Council of Silat al-Harthiya; and

13. ‘Esam al-Shalabi (both
from Jenin);

14. Riyadh Walweel, from
Qalqilya; and

15. Zaqariya Rayyan Zita;
and

16. Mosa Zeidan, (both
from Tulkarm)

PCHR reiterates it condemnation of political detention and the torture
crimes against the detainees which accompanies it, and:

1. Reminds of the ruling
issued by the Palestinian Supreme Court of Justice on 20 February 1999, which
considers political detention illegal and demands all executive bodies respect
the Court ruling and stop practicing political detention;

2. Emphasizes that
detention is covered by Palestinian law and falls within the competence of
judicial warranty officers, represented in the police, who work under the
direct orders and supervision of the Attorney-General; and

3. Calls for the
immediate release of all political detainees who are held by Palestinian
security services in the West Bank.