Ref: 132/2007
Date: 02 October 2007
Time: 11:00 GMT
PCHR Calls for
Investigating the Injury of a Woman and her Son
PCHR calls for investigating the
circumstance surrounding the use of gunfire by the Executive Force and moderate
injury of a woman and serious injury of her son in Gaza City. The Centre calls
upon the dismissed government to issue clear instructions regulating the use of
force, including firearms, by law-enforcement personnel that respect relevant
international standards.
The Center’s preliminary investigation
indicates that at approximately 11:00 on Monday, 1 October 2007, a large
Executive Force contingent raided the houses of Ehab Ghanem El-Ghoul (32) and
his brother Mahmoud (24) located in Salah Khalaf Street in northern Gaza City.
The Force searched the houses and ruffled furniture and house belongings under
the pretext of searching for weapons. During the search and argument broke out
between the Force and the family members. The Force members beat the family
members and insulted them.
In a related development, the Force fired
indiscriminately outside the house, resulting in the injury of 2 persons as
neighbors gathered around the target houses. The injured are:
-
Yosra Rabah Abu Sharekh (55),
injured by shrapnel in the right hand.
-
Tayseer Ibrahim Abu Sharekh (23),
seriously injured by a bullet in the chest.
Tayseer was taken to the Intensive Care Unit
in Shifa Hospital due to the severity of his injury.
Ehab El-Ghoul informed PCHR that 27 vehicles
of the Executive Force arrived to search his house and that of his brother. He
added that they ruffled and damaged furniture, and beat his mother Jamila
El-Ghoul (50) and 3 other family members.
PCHR strongly condemns the abduction and
torture of Issa Hammad, and:
-
Calls upon the dismissed government
to investigate the attack and prosecute the perpetrators.
-
Calls upon law-enforcement
personnel to show restraint and to respect the law to ensure respect of
international human rights standards and the safety of civilians.
