2018-07-17

West Bank

West Bank / position paper

The Community is Entitled to Lawful Accountability

After reviewing the statement issued by the Public Prosecution and the General Directorate of Police on what the statement called “the merits of the incident which took place yesterday morning with the Deputy Prosecutor at the branch of the General Investigation Directorate in Hebron”, MUSAWA believes that the Attorney General, to whom the file was referred to follow-up on the details and take the necessary legal action; as is literally said in the statement, shall inform the public of the nature of the taken measures to ensure the administrative and criminal accountability of anyone found guilty of committing the crime of encroachment, abduction or overstepping authority lines. MUSAWA also believes that the accountability measures should be enforced at the administrative level, and that the accused should be referred to the competent judiciary for trial, while ensuring the provision of fair trial guarantees, and imposing the appropriate punishment for those found guilty, since the community is truly entitled to this accountability, which is not an option to be overridden, especially given the inadequacy of the concept of tribal reconciliation in building and embodying a state of law.

We hope that the law will be respected in the relationship between the Police and the Security Services with the citizens and the Public Prosecution in order to protect the rights of citizens, as said in the statement. MUSAWA also hopes for the adherence to the rules and foundations of a state of law, which govern the relationship between the Police as law enforcement officers and the Security Services on the one hand, and the Public Prosecution and the Judiciary on the other hand, to ensure that the repressive police-oriented approach is abandoned in dealing with citizens or in exercising powers, and that the law is respected and used to resolve other disputes.

In order to provide an environment appropriate for respecting the rule of law, we reaffirm the necessity to enforce the government's decision to dissolve the Supreme Security Committee, and to dismantle its structure and revoke its powers.

Issued on 17/7/2018

MUSAWA