Ref: 18/2011

Yesterday, Tuesday, 15 March 2011, thousands of
Palestinians gathered in al-Katiba Square and the Unknown Soldiers Square in
the west of Gaza city. The protestors were demonstrating for an end to the
ongoing political fragmentation in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT).
These demonstrations were organized in response to several calls that were made
earlier by young Palestinians, including on the Facebook website.

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), incidents witnessed by PCHR
fieldworkers and statements by eyewitnesses, at approximately 19:00 on 15 March
2011, a
large number of persons in civilian clothes carrying sticks and clubs deployed
among the demonstrators in al-Katiba Square. Some of these persons were armed
and some were riding motorcycles. They demolished tents that were installed by
demonstrators, the Palestinian Bar and the Palestinian Press Syndicate. They
attacked the demonstrators and beat them using sticks and clubs in an effort to
disperse them.

The police immediately intensified their
presence in the scene. In conjunction with the recently arrived persons in
civilian clothes, they chased the demonstrators into nearby streets and
bystreets. They also chased female demonstrators, detaining them in two nearby
locations. They beat them using their hands, legs, sticks and clubs, and were
verbally abusive. Some of the female demonstrators sustained bruises throughout
the body. PCHR strongly condemns these attacks against women. According to what
PCHR fieldworkers witnessed, members of the police and supporting persons who
were moving on motorcycles and cars with dark glass not carrying registration
plates severely beat demonstrators who were fleeing the scene through bystreets
with their hands, sticks and clubs.

The police chased press photographers and
reporters working for news agencies who were present at the scene, confiscating
a number of cameras. A number of journalists were severely beaten and sustained
bruises and fractures. Mohammed al-Baba, AFP photographer, was severely beaten
and sustained a fracture in his left hand as a result.

The Police installed many checkpoints in a
number of streets in Gaza city, from which cars were searched. Available data
indicates that the police arrested a number of young Palestinians while
returning to their homes.

In the evening, the Ministry of Interior
published a press release in which the Ministry states that: “The members
of the groups who were in al-Katiba Square were mostly members of Fatah
movement, specifically members of the former security services…. They tried to
use the demonstration in order to spark chaos. They called inflammatory
statements against the government. The security forces intervened to disperse
the crowd and compel Fatah members to respect security and to respect the
law.”

However, PCHR fieldworkers and others at the
scene affirm that the assembly in al-Katiba Square was a peaceful assembly. The
demonstrators did not carry any factional slogans or flags.

PCHR condemns the use of force to disperse,
beat and insult demonstrators, including women and children, in al-Katiba
Square by members of the police and persons in civilian clothes. PCHR also
condemns attacks against journalists and

1. Stresses
that the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law
and by international human rights instruments.

2. Stresses
that it is necessary to take measures necessary to enable journalists to
perform their duties freely as a way to enhance the right to freedom of opinion
and press freedoms which are guaranteed in the Constitution and in
international human rights instruments. PCHR notes that beating journalists and
confiscating their cameras constitutes an attempt at repression, aimed at
suppressing information.

3. Strongly
condemns the detention of protestors, including women, by members of the police
and persons in civilian clothes, beating them with hands; sticks and clubs and
verbal assault.

4. Calls
upon the government in Gaza to open serious investigations into attacks against
the demonstrators, and especially into the participation of persons in civilian
clothes who do not have any legal capacity in attacking the demonstrators, and
to publish the results.