Palestinian Authority Continues Arrest and Torture of Released Prisoners in West Bank, Committee Says

The Committee of Families of Political Detainees in the West Bank said that the Palestinian Authority apparatus is continuing its repressive campaign against released prisoners through arrest, pursuit and torture inside investigation centers, stressing that these practices cross all national and moral lines.

In a press statement, the committee explained that the latest of these practices was the arrest and maltreatment of released prisoner Abdul Salam Abu Al-Haija, noting that the Authority apparatus raided his home in the city of Jenin in vehicles bearing “yellow” registration plates, with forces in civilian clothing, and proceeded to break down the doors of the house with batons before arresting him arbitrarily.

It added that Abu Al-Haija’s arrest came less than two months after his release from occupation prisons, which had deprived him of bidding farewell to his mother, who died while he was behind bars.

The committee noted that the targeting of Abu Al-Haija comes amid the Authority’s detention of his brother Emad for many long months, the death of his brother Hamza during a confrontation with the occupation, while his father, leader Jamal Abu Al-Haija, is serving a life sentence in occupation prisons.

It also noted that the Authority apparatus raided the home of teacher and released prisoner Mohammad Anwar in Nablus and arrested him again, despite his having been subjected to political detention several times before, affirming that a number of released prisoners remain detained and are being subjected to torture, hanging and repressive measures.

The committee warned of the dangerous consequences of the continuation of arrests and the policy of torture and maltreatment of detainees inside detention centers and interrogation dungeons, stressing that the voice of the families will not fade in the face of what it described as shameful aggression.

It demanded the immediate release of Abdul Salam Abu Al-Haija, Mohammad Anwar and all political detainees, calling on national forces and factions and human rights institutions to assume their responsibilities and take a firm stance to put an end to these crimes and the ongoing violations against the people of the West Bank.