|
Jerusalem:
21 September , 1998
The
General Director of the Ministry of Youth & Sports Arrested
General Director of the Ministry of
Youth & Sports Muhammad Mahmoud Muqbel (50), resident of Ein
Munjed village, Ramallah, married and father of four
children, was arrested early Sunday morning 20/9/1998, by
the Presidential Security Forces (Force 17).
Background:
Last Friday, 19/9/1998, National and
Islamic forces called for a public demonstration that
gathered thousands of Palestinians. The demonstration took
flight from Jamal Abdul Nasser's mosque in Al-Bireh, and
reached the streets of Ramallah, in revolt against the
Israeli authorities, who still refuse to hand in the bodies
of Adel and Imad Awadallah. The demonstration included
participants from the national and Islamic forces. Figures
from the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) delivered
statements on the death of the two brothers and Israel's
refusal to hand the bodies to the Awadallah family.
Muhammad Mahmoud Muqbel (Abu Ali)
spoke of the national solidarity that gathered the abundant
crowds in this demonstration, and stressed on the
reprehensible crime committed by Israel against the two
Awadallah brothers. As a result of this, Muqbel was arrested
by the Presidential Security, and detained in Ramallah
prison.
This morning, PLC member Hatem Abdul
Qader protested before the prison building and expressed his
shock and disapproval of Muqbel's arrest. Abdul Qader
refused to leave the premises until Muqbel is released.
The Palestinian Human Rights
Monitoring Group (PHRMG) sees the PNA committing a
serious offense against the freedom of opinion and
expression, and the right to demonstrate, when arresting
Muhammad Muqbel. This arrest took place when Palestinians
are suffering from tragic circumstances produced by the
Israeli policy. The Palestinian people are suffering from
oppression, pressure, and depression caused by Israel's
policy in killing people, demolishing homes, and
confiscating lands. This arrest demonstrates the violations
committed by the PNA against the Palestinian citizens who
are struggling to express themselves in the course of the
painful and most dangerous incidents occurring in the
Occupied Territories.
The PHRMG calls upon President
Yasser Arafat to immediately intervene and release Muhammad
Muqbel, and punish those who arrested him.
|
