PCHR Expresses Deep Concern over Attacks by Police Officers on Participants in PFLP's Festival
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses its deep concern over attacks by police officers on a number of participants in a festival organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Friday, 29 January 2010, in Al-Boreij refugee camp. PCHR stresses that the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of opinion and expression are fundamental human rights ensured by the Basic Law and international human rights instruments.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 15:00 on Friday, 29 January 2010, the PFLP organized a festival in the central Gaza Strip. The festival titled "Loyalty to the Wise Man" was organized to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of George Habash, the late leader of PFLP. It was held in an open area in the east of al-Boreij refugee camp, near Saladin Street. When the festival ended, Palestinian police officers started attacking a number of participants with clubs. Those participants were waiting for buses to take them home. PCHR documented the injury of 7 participants,[1] who were injured in various parts of their bodies. Some of them were taken to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah for medical treatment.
In his testimony to PCHR, one of the injured participants stated:
"At approximately 17:00 on Friday, some young men and I were waiting for buses at Saladin Street. An officer got closer and asked us to leave the area immediately, and insulted us. Police officers then started beating us with clubs. They hit me on my head and back until I fainted. I woke up at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where I received medical treatment, and was then released."
Another one said:
"At approximately 17:00, while my friends and I were waiting for buses to take us to al-Maghazi refugee camp when the festival ended, an officer got closer an asked us to leave the area immediately. He then used radio to call a police force. Three police vehicles arrived and started chasing us until they caught us. Members of the force started beating me on different parts of my body using clubs until I fainted. I woke up at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where I received medical treatment and underwent an x-ray."
In light of the above, PCHR:
1. Strongly condemns the use of force by Palestinian police officers to disperse a number of participants in the festival, and expresses its grave concern over the recurrence of such attacks.
2. Calls upon the Gaza government to seriously investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
3. Stresses that people's right to peaceful assembly is ensured by the Palestinian Basic Law and the relevant international human rights instruments, asserts that suppression of festivals is part of a policy of muzzling and flagrant assaults on public liberties.
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