Statements and Positions
The ICHR condemns killing of Ahmed Halawah by security personnel and demands prosecution of culprits

23 August 2016

24/2016

The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) condemns the physical assault on citizen Ahmed Izz Halawah by security personnel. After he had been arrested on Tuesday, 23 August 2018, Halawah was beaten to death.

In his press statement this morning, Major General Akram al Rujoub, Nablus Governor, said that Halawah was arrested at dawn today in the old city of Nablus and transported to the Juneid prison. There, dozens of security personnel assaulted and beat Halawah to death.

The ICHR views with concerns the assault on Halawah. Security officers were unable to provide protection to this citizen, after he had already been detained and deprived of his liberty. Moreover, Halawah was brought to angry security personnel, who severely beat him to death. The fact that security personnel assaulted Halawah after he had been arrested constitutes a crime that amounts to extra-judicial killing. It is a grave violation of Palestinian legislation, principles of the use of force, and code of conduct for law enforcement officials.

The ICHR stresses the need for establishing the rule of law and seizing illegal weapons. However, the ICHR emphasises that any relevant measures must be governed by law and the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials. Accordingly, the ICHR demands that the following actions be taken:

To launch an immediate investigation into the incident. To take concrete legal action against them, all persons liable for and involved in killing Halawah will be brought as soon as possible before relevant judicial bodies.
To establish an independent committee to investigate the incident, assess performance of official agencies in handling the security operation and practices, and publish results of the investigation.
To ensure that security personnel comply with the law, regulations and instructions. When they perform respective duties, security personnel must respect rights and freedoms enshrined in the Palestinian Basic Law.
To ensure that relevant authorities facilitate functions of the ICHR teams when they meet with detained persons and their families. In addition to providing needed information, ICHR staff should be allowed to participate in the autopsy to be performed on the dead body of Halawa.
To ensure that public officials make responsible statements, which are commensurate to the work of security agencies as state institutions. These officials must refrain from making statements, which can agitate or inflame passions of security personnel.