Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

its concern that in general administrative detention orders and town arrest orders can be (and in Amnesty International's opinion have been) abused to detain people for the non-violent exercise of their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and that the judicial review at military court hearings is inadequate to prevent such abuse. Amnesty International has also expressed concern that those detained or restricted by such orders are routinely not given full and precise details of the reasons for the order nor the evidence on which the order is based, which makes it impossible to challenge the order effectively.

Mr Chairman, in concluding this statement Amnesty International wishes to take the opportunity to call publicly on the Israeli authorities to take immediate action aimed at curbing human rights violations in the Occupied Territories. In particular, Amnesty International believes that the Israeli Government should:

1. Conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into all killings by members of the Israeli armed forces in the Occupied Territories since 9 December 1987, and make public the results of the inquiry.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Take steps to restrict the use of lethal force by Israeli soldiers in
the Occupied Territories. There should be full respect for the
internationally-recognized requirement, included in the United Nations
Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, that authorities may
use lethal force only when strictly necessary. The official
commentary to the United Nations Code of Conduct is particularly
relevant on this point. It states:

"Every effort should be made to exclude the use of firearms.
In general, firearms should not be used except when a suspected
offender offers armed resistance or otherwise jeopardizes the lives
of others and less extreme measures are not sufficient to restrain
or apprehend the suspected offender."

Take steps to prevent the use of unreasonable force in maintaining law and order. Amnesty International considers that the numerous reports of beatings often resulting in fractures and extensive bruising. describe law enforcement behaviour going well beyond what might be considered reasonable force even in response to stone throwing demonstrators. Article 3 of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials states that force may be used "only when strictly necessary and for the extent required for the performance of their duty." It should certainly not be used against people who have been wounded or are in custody.

Ensure that no one is arrested and detained arbitrarily, and that anyone arrested is informed of the reasons for the arrest. Accurate information concerning the whereabouts of detainees should be made available as soon as possible to relatives and lawyers.

Guarantee that everyone should have adequate time and facilities for
the preparation of their defence and prompt and regular access to
counsel of their choosing; and that everyone should have the
opportunity to examine and have examined the prosecution witnesses and
to obtain the attendance and examination of defence witnesses under
the same conditions.

Prevent anyone from being administratively detained or restricted on

7.

account of their non-violent political activity, and without being informed of the evidence against them.

Impartially and effectively investigate all complaints and reports of
torture of detainees. The methods and findings of such investigations
should be made public. The highest authorities of the Israeli
Government should make clear to all law enforcement personnel that
torture and ill-treatment will not be tolerated. They should be
informed that this prohibition is unconditional and, as stated in the
UN Declaration against Torture, exceptional circumstances such as a
state of war, internal political instability or any other public
emergency may not be invoked as a justification of torture or other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The rules of
international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflict confirm
the prohibition.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO ISRAEL AND THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES CALLS FOR JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO ABUSES

A mission from Amnesty International said in Jerusalem today (Tuesday, February 23) that it was urgently calling for a full, independent judicial inquiry into the "extensive range of human rights violations" by Israeli security forces since the Palestinian demonstrations began in December.

Head of mission Clayton Yeo, of Canada, said the scale and severity of the abuses demanded an impartial and comprehensive inquiry and that piecemeal investigations by the IDF would not suffice.

"Questions must be answered about central government encouragement of punitive or deterrent beatings, the legality of orders to soldiers and the adequacy of established methods of investigating reports of abuses by Israeli security force personnel," Yeo said.

The inquiry Amnesty International was calling for should look into every single death at the hands of security force personnel since December 9 to find out exactly what had happened and to determine whether excessive force was used.

It should investigate "vicious and often indiscriminate" beatings in custody which had resulted in broken bones and other grievous injuries and in some cases in deaths, according to claims made by the International Committee of the Red Cross earlier this week.

Also to be examined were maltreatment and degrading treatment of Palestinians in places of detention, and summary trials which had "denied justice" to detainees convicted in military courts.

The terms of reference of the inquiry should include the methods of riot control used by the authorities, the system of accountability for the use of lethal ammunition, whether existing guidelines were adequate and to what extent they were followed.

Yeo said these would be among the questions the mission would be discussing with senior military officials in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this week.

He said the mission had also come for further information on Human Rights violations in Israel and the

occupied territories. Those of the past two months had been a "particularly grave development" of a pattern Amnesty International had been monitoring through 1987. Early in December an Amnesty International delegate had visited the country to look into scores of allegations of beatings of Palestinians during 1987 and had received many sworn testimonies. In mid January 1988 the' organization had sent

another delegate, to Gaza.

Yeo stressed that Amnesty International was aware of positive steps taken or promised by the Israeli authorities in response to recent events - he noted particularly reports of the Attorney General's letter to Defense Minister Rabin calling for it to be made clear to soldiers that it was illegal to beat demonstrators after they had been arrested. (End)

For further information on human rights violations in Israel and the Occupied Territories contact:

AIUSA Washington Office

608 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20002

(202) 544-0200

APPENDIX 3

REPORT ON THE ECONOMY OF ISRAEL, DATED JANUARY 15, 1988 (SUBMITTED BY THE AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT)

The Honorable Claiborne Pell

Chairman

Committee on Foreign Relations
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Pursuant to Section 1205(b) of the International Security and Development Cooperation Act of 1985, as amended, please find enclosed the Israel Economic Report. The report discusses economic conditions prevailing in Israel that may affect its ability to (a) meet international debt obligations and (b) stabilize its economy. The report also discusses the role the United States has played in helping Israel to met these two objectives.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« ÎnapoiContinuă »