PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Press Release

Ref: 78/2010

Date: 02 September 2010

Time: 10:30 GMT

In an Ongoing Campaign, Palestinian Security Services Arrest Dozens of Hamas
Members and Supporters in the West Bank Following Hebron Attack

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the continuous
arrest campaigns, which have been carried out by the Palestinian security
services against members and supporters of Hamas in the West Bank for three
successive days. PCHR reiterates its call upon 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 Tuesday afternoon, 31
August 2010, following an armed attack in the southeast of Hebron, which
left 4 Israeli settlers dead, and to which the Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades
(the armed wing of Hamas) claimed responsibility, the Palestinian security
services waged an arbitrary detention campaign against dozens of members and
supporters of Hamas in different areas in the West Bank. Traders, teachers,
university students, professionals, and imams of mosques, etc. have been
arrested. Many of whom were arrested at home or at work, while the others
were arrested after they had been summoned by phone to come to the security
services' offices. According to information collected by PCHR's field
workers, at least 153 persons have been arrested in different areas in the
West Bank so far[1], as detention campaign is still ongoing; 45 persons have
been detained in Hebron, while the others are distributed as follows: 6 in
Bethlehem; 11 in Ramallah and al-Bireh; 15 in Nablus; 6 in Jenin; 8 in
Tubas; 19 in Qalqilya; 23 in Tulkarm; and 20 in Salfit.

PCHR reiterates it condemnation for political detention and the torture
crimes against the detainees which accompany it, and:

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;

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

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

Public Document

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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

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[1] PCHR keeps the names of the detainees.