Ref: 4/2013
Date: 23 January 2013
Time: 12:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the General Attorney in Ramallah to open a serious and thorough investigation into the events witnessed in al-Ama’ri Refugee Camp on Sunday and Monday, 20 and 21 January 2013, during which Palestinian security forces fired live bullets and carried out a number of arrests. PCHR calls upon the government in Ramallah and the security forces to respect human rights in accordance with the constitution and international human rights standards.

According to investigations by a PCHR fieldworker, who obtained affidavits from victims and eyewitnesses, at approximately 19:00 on Sunday, 20 January 2013, a group of youths began burning tires, blocking the main road of the camp, which links Ramallah and Jerusalem. Palestinian security forces arrived at the scene and began to attack embers of the crowd, which led to confrontations between the security forces and Palestinian civilians. A large number of back-up units arrived and began started firing live bullets and tear gas canisters in an effort to disperse the crowd. Security forces chased members of the crowd through the streets and alleys of the camp. As a result, 3 civilians sustained bullet wounds, including a woman and a child, and they were transferred to Palestine Health Complex in Ramallah for treatment. They were identified as: Wisam Ashraf Rayhan (14), who sustained a bullet shrapnel to the right knee; Hayat Abdel-Fatah Romana (51), who sustained bullet shrapnel to the left leg; and Khamis Mohammed al-Haj (22), who sustained a bullet wound to the right leg. Dozens of demonstrators sustained bruises throughout their bodies after being beaten by members of the security forces.

Later that night, Palestinian security forces arrested a group of youths and children, who are residents of the camp, and transported them to security centres. Among the arrested civilians was Khamis al-Haj, one of those who had been injured during the clashes; he was arrested at the Palestine Health Complex where he was receiving treatment. In his testimony to a PCHR fieldworker, al-Haj said that he was transported via an ambulance of the Military Health Services to the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters, and later to Military Intelligence headquarters where he was interrogated about his participation in the demonstration. He was released early the following morning.

In light of the above, PCHR:

1. Calls upon the General Attorney to immediately open a serious investigation into this incident, which appears to have involved shooting and the excessive use of force by members of the Palestinian security forces, those entrusted to implement the law;
2. Calls upon the government in Ramallah to issue clear instructions regulating the use of live ammunition by law enforcement officials against civilians and to ensure that members of the security forces comply with international standards related to the use of firearms in law enforcement;
3. Calls upon the Palestinian security forces to respect international human rights standards, the Basic Law of the Palestinian National Authority, and all other relevant laws;
4. Confirms the right of people to hold public meetings in accordance with the law and without prejudice to the rights of other people, and calls for the peaceful nature of such meetings to be maintained.