2018-12-24

Ramallah

West Bank

His Excellency Director of the Ombudsman and human rights’ Office at the Palestinian Police, Colonel Rodaina Bani Odeh, 

Subject: The Police's Failure in Implementing its Duties and Refrain from Implementing the Orders of the Public Prosecution for Almost a Year

MUSAWA – the Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession extends its warmest greetings to your Excellency.

On 19-11-2018, the center received a complaint from Bassam Fawzi Habbas Habbas, resident in Al-Ram, stating that he filed a criminal charge to the General Prosecution on kidnapping, which was registered on 5/1/2018 under No …/2018. The General Prosecution responded to the charge by issuing a warrant of arresting the accused. However, the police did not implement the mentioned order, although 11 months have passed since issuing it.

MUSAWA believes that the contents of the complaint – if true – represent a reluctance and dilatory in the Judicial Police’s performance in discharging its duties, which may fall under the umbrella of denial of justice and affecting the citizens’ right to access it, which can result in affecting the trust of citizens in the General Prosecution and the judicial system, an in encouraging the phenomenon of taking matters into one’s own hands, what may affect the national security, and the safety of the community, thus, the case demands to hold the Police accountable for its dilatory in discharging its duties, and to issue an order to rapidly execute your mentioned ruling concerning the investigation procedures concerning the complaint.

With All Due Respect

Issued on 17/12/2018

Legal Monitoring Officer

Angham Mansour

Attachments: A copy of the complaint