>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE | |||
Inter-Parliamentary Union | |||
Chemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland |
Resolution adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council at its 180th session*
Referring to the case of Dr. Abdel Aziz Dweik, Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/180/12(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 179th session (October 2006),
Taking account of the letter from the Deputy Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, dated 17 April 2007, addressed to IPU President Pier Ferdinando Casini and of the information provided by a member of the PLC at the hearing with the Committee during the 116th Assembly,
Recalling that Dr. Dweik was arrested at his home in Ramallah during the night of 5 to 6 August 2006 by the Israeli Defence Forces; the arrest came in the context of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip to obtain the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier kidnapped on 25 June 2006 in a cross-border attack on Israeli military installations; Hamas and the Palestinian Authority deny responsibility for the kidnapping; a decision by the Ofer military court ordering Dr. Dweik's release was overturned on 25 September 2006 by the Ofer military appeal court, which ruled that he would have to remain in jail pending trial on charges of membership, leadership and action on behalf of a terrorist organization, namely Hamas; considering in this respect that, according to the sources, the argument underlying this charge is as follows: you are a member of the PLC, elected on the ticket of the Change and Reform list, which is supported by Hamas, a terrorist organization; hence you are a member of a terrorist organization and, as a member of parliament, assuming a leadership role,
Recalling that, according to reports of late August 2006, Dr. Dweik who is from Hebron, is held in an Israeli prison far from his home in northern Israel; he is being held in solitary confinement and is in poor health, suffering from chest pain and shortness of breath, and considering in this respect the following information provided by the PLC Deputy Speaker: Dr. Dweik is held in solitary confinement in a small prison cell measuring 1.8 by 4 metres, full of creeping insects, and is served bad food, which has aggravated his state of health; his blood pressure is high and he has kidney stones; Dr. Dweik needs attention and continuous health care since he suffers from heart disease; a court ruling allowing him to be examined by an Arab doctor was only applied after considerable representations,
Considering that no trial has so far been conducted as it is constantly postponed, the last hearing scheduled for 15 April 2007 being postponed until 27 May 2007,
Considering that on 9 January 2007 the Israeli security forces reportedly arrested Dr. Dweik's bureau chief, Abd-al-Qahir Surur, who is said to have surrendered to the Israeli forces following threats from the Israeli army that it would otherwise detain his aged father,
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