The Human Rights Actions Network
www.derechos.org/human- rights/actions/
ACTION REQUEST
20 October 1997 LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment PO Box 20873 Jerusalem, via Israel Tel: (972) (2) 5812364/5824559 Fax: (972) (2) 5811072 email: lawe@netvision.net web page: http://www.birzeit.edu/lawe Today Mr. Khader Shkirat, General Director of LAW, was informed by telephone by Mr. Tawfiq Tirawi, Director of the General Intelligence, that LAW, its lawyers and staff were absolutely denied permission to see any client incarcerated in any interrogation center or prison under the control of the General Intelligence. For the past four months or so, LAW has been prohibited from visiting prisoners in prisons under the control of the General Intelligence. The problems began last February, when Mr. Shkirat was threatened by the head of the General Intelligence, Mr. Tirawi, in response to a case in which Mr. Shkirat was refused permission to see a client imprisoned by the General Intelligence. Since that time, LAW has been obstructed from carrying out its legal responsibilities to its clients. Most recently, LAW took a case to the High Court on behalf of Mohammed Muslih, imprisoned by the General Intelligence. As LAW was unable to visit him in prison, LAW's lawyers had to rely instead on a power of attorney from his son. LAW has tried on many different occasions to visit its clients in General Intelligence prisons, and has approached the Attorney General, the military Attorney General, and the courts for intervention, all to no avail. As the last step before taking further action, LAW called Mr. Tirawi today, and was again told that its lawyers were absolutely refused permission to visit prisons controlled by the General Intelligence. LAW totally condemns this obstruction of justice and violation of the rule of law on the part of Mr. Tirawi and the General Intelligence. LAW notes that the prisoners' right to legal counsel is encoded in local law, and that it is a matter of general due process that lawyers must be allowed to visit their clients. LAW calls for all concerned parties to urgently write faxes of protest to the following parties, and demand that the prohibition placed on LAW's lawyers be lifted immediately. President Yassir Arafat: (972) (7) 822365/6; Director of General Intelligence Tawfiq Tirawi: (972) (2) 9921283; Justice Minister Freih Abu Meddein: (972) (7) 822231; Attorney General Faiyyez Abu Rahmeh: (972) (7) 824503. _____________________________________________________ _ LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAW is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.
