Press Statement
Date: 17th February 2015 (No. 2/2015)
ICHR is gravely concerned about the continuous vigilantism in the Gaza Strip that might lead to chaos and absence of the role of the institutions in building the State of Palestine.
Since the beginning of this year, ICHR has monitored, in its capacity as the national human rights institution and in accordance with its constitutional role to monitor and protect human rights, a series of incidents involving assaults on a number of persons and their properties as well as public institutions. The findings of investigations into these incidents have not been announced.
These incidents which were monitored and documented by ICHR include the following:
- On 16th of February 2015, unidentified masked persons opened fire at the car of Ma'moon Sweidan, a Fateh official in the Gaza office for foreign relations, while it was parked opposite to his house in the area of Tal Al Hawa in Gaza city. His two bodyguards (Yaser Elian, Salameh Ewedat) were injured and rushed to Al Shifa' Hospital in the city.
- On 15th of February 2015, unidentified persons set fire to a car belonging to a senior official in the Interior Ministry and National Guard (Ramadan Nauk) while it was parked in front of his house in Jabalia city northern Gaza. On the same day, a bomb was planted in front of the house of Khaleel Aljreesi in Al Mughazi refugee camp. Aljreesi is a retired officer of the Palestinian police and an official of the Fateh movement.
- Unidentified persons set fire to a car belonging to Abed Al Munim Al Tahrawi who is working for the Democracy and Conflict Resolution Center in Gaza city, while it was parked in front of his house in Al Nuserat refugee camp.
- On 3rd of February 2015, unidentified persons abducted Muhammad Al Mughayer who is working for the Representative Office of Holland as an advisor. They kept him in holding and beat him for eight hours. They later threw him in front of Al Shifa' Hospital in Gaza city. On the same day, masked gunmen intercepted the car of Dr. Eyad Shinin from northern Gaza while he was on his way back home. They tied his hands and beat him before throwing him near Al Shifa' Hospital in Gaza city. They stole his car and personal belongings.
In the same context, ICHR monitored the following incidents during last January 2015:
- Unidentified persons set fire to a car belonging to Fateh official Ahmad Alwan. Unidentified persons also set fire to the car of preventive security official Adel Sadu Ebied. They burnt it while it was parked in front of his house.
- Unidentified persons planted a home-made grenade under the car of military police officer, Hilmi Hamdi Khalaf, in Gaza while it was parked in front of his house. It was completely damaged. Also, unidentified persons set fire to the administration office of the prisoners and ex-prisoners affairs committee and stole three computers as well as some documents.
- Hundreds of demonstrators whose homes were demolished during the last Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip organized a protest in front of UNESCO in Gaza city. They threw stones at the office and set tires ablaze.
- Unidentified persons broke into an organization for martyrs and injured Palestinians in Gaza city and broke its assets (computer sets, printers, files, furniture).
- The electricity generator of the house of the government's spokesperson, Ehab Bseso, in Al Rimal neighborhood in Gaza exploded. Mr. Bseso told reporters that the incident was planned. He also told them that all the ministers of the current government received threats by phone.
- Unidentified persons planted a bomb in front of the ATM machine of the Bank of Palestine – Gaza branch. It was completely damaged and the glass of the bank was broken.
It is worth mentioning that on 28 January 2015, ICHR issued a statement warning of the danger of vigilantism in the Gaza Strip. It also emphasized that the government and the security services should ensure security and protection for citizens and their property.
ICHR reiterates that the above said incidents constitute a state of vigilantism and absence of the rule of law, and so its continuity heralds collapse of the system of rights and freedoms in an uncontrollable way. Thus, it demands that:
The Ministry of the Interior takes necessary measures to immediately pursue perpetrators.
The Public Prosecution should interrogate perpetrators, bring them before court and make the findings of its investigation available to public.
The national consensus government fulfills its legal and administrative role to promote security and civil peace.
