Ref: 30/2010

The
Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the police’s intervention
yesterday to prevent convening a show in Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center in
Gaza City, where hundreds of people attended.

According
to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 17:40 on Saturday 24
April 2010, a force of the Palestinian police broke into Rashad al-Shawa
Cultural Center in Gaza, where the show was being carried out and hundreds of
people were attending.  The show was
organized by “B Boy Gaza”; a local band which includes a number of
young people.  The policemen cancelled
the show, expelled the audience, and arrested six of the show’s
organizers.  The detainees were taken to al-Abbas
police station in the center of Gaza City. 
The policemen confiscated the videotapes and cameras that were used in
the show.  According to the testimony of
one of the organizers, the police forced two of the arrested ones to sign a
pledge not to organize shows without obtaining permits from the Palestinian
police.  PCHR was informed that all of
the arrested persons were released.

In light
of the above, PCHR:

1- Calls
for stopping the unjustified intervention of security bodies and the Ministry
of Interior in public freedoms, and for respecting the right to organize public
and private meetings, which are ensured legally and constitutionally.

2- Confirms
that this show and similar shows are organized in closed halls, which are not
included in the Public Meetings Law # (12) of 1998.  This Law ensures the right to hold public meetings
freely after the organizers send a written notice regarding the meeting to the
governor or the police chief at least 48 hours prior to the time of the
meeting.