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| PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PRESS RELEASE |
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Ref: 59/2005
Date: 03 May 2005
Time: 09:30 GMT
PCHR Is Concerned by Riots at Gaza Criminal Court
PCHR is deeply concerned at the riots that erupted at Gaza Criminal Court on Monday, 2 May 2005, following a ruling to life imprisonment for two citizens convicted of a murder.
According to information available to PCHR, on Monday morning, the Court held a session to consider a number of cases. It issued two rulings to five years and ten years imprisonment against two citizens convicted of collaboration with the Israeli intelligence. When the Head of the Court started to state the third ruling to life imprisonment against Kamal ‘Abdul Bari Mustafa Mohammed, 23, and his brother Mustafa, 21, both from Jabalya, who are convicted of the predetermined murder of ‘Abdul Mo’ti ‘Aabed on 12 October 2003, relatives of the two convicted persons were agitated. They started rioting inside the Court, attacking judges and prosecutors and breaking a number of seats. The convicted persons also broke their crate. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers were forced to leave the court.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, too few members of the police had been deployed in the court was to put an end to the chaos that erupted.
The Head of the Court, Fahmi al-Najjar received injuries in the hand. The judges of the court, headed by Judge Fahmi al-Najjar and including Judge Yousef Safi and Judge Ahmed Siam, stated that they would abstain from going to the court until necessary guarantees to secure and protect them are provided, especially as they are considering a number of serious cases.
PCHR is deeply concerned at these latest incidents, considering them part of the state of security chaos which has affected all aspects of life in the Palestinian society. PCHR calls upon all concerned parties to immediately intervene to put an end for this state. PCHR particularly calls for providing necessary protection for Palestinian judges to be able to carry out their functions fairly and independently. PCHR emphasizes the need to establish a special compound of court that has necessary requirements to provide protection for judges, lawyers and prosecutors.
Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
