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Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein Minister of Justice Meir Shitrit Minister of Internal Affairs Uzi Landau Chairman of the Knesset State Comptroller's
Committee MK Amnon Rubinstein with copy to the PHRMG, admin@phrmg.org -------------------------------------------------- International Bolshevik Tendency June 26, 2001 Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein Mr. Rubinstein: We vigorously protest the detention and brutal abuse of human rights advocates Abed Rahman al-Ahmar, Adnan al-Hajar and Hashem Abu Hassan. Palestinians who dare oppose Israel's continuing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and who object to further land thefts to benefit the racist settler-fanatics have been subject to brutal repression by the Israeli Defense Force. Your government's policy of selective assassinations, "shooting-to-kill" unarmed protesters and bombarding civilian areas has outraged decent people around the world. This campaign has exposed Zionism's reactionary essence to tens of millions of people. In addition to barbaric attacks on the courageous young Palestinians participants in the intifada, your government now seeks to imprison those who dare report these criminal acts to the world. The detention of Mr. al-Ahmar, well known as an advocate of equality and equal national rights for Jews and Arabs, is simply an abomination. His mistreatment and apparent denial of basic medical care by the hands of the General Security Service (GSS) has led to a dramatic deterioration in his health, as reported by his attorney Yossi Schwartz. The GSS persists in brutally abusing its captives despite the September 1999 ruling by the Israeli High Court of Justice banning the torture of prisoners. The recent detention of Mr. al-Hajar and Mr. Abu Hassan, both civil rights advocates, in addition to the detention of Mr. al-Ahmar, exposes your government's shameless disregard for even a pretence of democracy. You are accountable for Mr. al-Ahmar's condition. We note that during his "interrogation" he was denied the presence of a lawyer. We demand his immediate release, and the release of his comrades. Yours sincerely, Paul Frazier cc: PHRMG |