Al Mezan Calls for an Investigation into Death in Detention Center of Detainee Eid

Ashraf Salim Eid, 40, was pronounced dead after being held at the police investigation department at Dier Al Balah police station in middle Gaza district. According to information available to Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan), the director of the police investigation unit summoned Ashraf Eid by phone and instructed him to present himself at the office on Tuesday, 16 February 2016, at approximately 9 am. Eid went at that time. At approximately 11:00 pm on the same day, his health condition had deteriorated and he was carried by an ambulance to Al Aqsa Hospital in the town. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Munir Salim Eid, 44, stated that at around 1:30 am on Wednesday, 17 February 2016, one of his relatives named Bassam Suleiman Eid, 39, who works as a lecturer at Al Zaitouna Collage for Science and Development, came to his house and informed him that his brother Ashraf was at Al Aqsa Hospital and that his health condition was critical. When Munir and Bassam were about to leave the house to go to the hospital, Bassam told Munir that Ashraf had passed away. Munir, Bassam, Suleiman Eid, 41; and Ghassan Suleiman Eid, 38, went to the hospital. There were a large number of police present. Munir went to the morgue and a police officer allowed him to see Ashraf’s body. The body was dressed in underwear and covered with white cloth. Munir noticed that the wrists of his brother’s body were blue. About half an hour later, Munir and company went to their home and refused to receive the body and bury it before knowing the reason behind the death. On Wednesday, 17 February 2016, the body was referred to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for forensic examination.

It’s worth mentioning that Ashraf Eid was summoned in the context of a police investigation into the murder of one of Ashraf’s relatives named Nawaf Salim Eid, 58, who was found dead in his house at approximately 6:30 pm on Sunday, 14 February 2016.

According to Al Mezan’s field investigations, on Monday, 15 February 2016, police summoned a large number of Nawaf’s relatives including his nephew, Ashraf Eid. They were released after giving their personal information. They were summoned again on Tuesday, 16 February 2016.

According to the commander of the Middle Gaza district police, Lieutenant Fu'ad Abu Btehan, in the context of investigating the killing of Nawaf Eid, the police summoned Ashraf along with a large number of Nawaf’s relatives for interrogation. Some of the summoned people were still in detention and the others were released. While Ashraf was subject to interrogation and he informed the interrogator that he suffered from diabetes. After 15 minutes of interrogation, he suffered convulsion and fatigue. An ambulance was summoned and carried him to Al Aqsa Hospital in Dier Al Balah. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Btehan added that a committee would be formed to investigate the circumstances of Ashraf’s death.

According to Ashraf’s relatives, Ashraf did not suffer any philological or physical diseases. He worked as a staff warrant officer at the Palestinian Authority.

Al Mezan expresses regret at the death of Eid. According to Al Mezan’s lawyer, there were clear signs of straps on the hands and legs of Ashraf’s body. Al Mezan edy. Every incident of death inside a detention center is suspicious and must be investigated seriously, credibly, and promptly.

Al Mezan calls for the Attorney Genxpresses its concern that Eid may have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment when he was at the police custoeral to open a serious investigation into this incident. The investigation should not only review the cause of death; rather, the way the victim was arrested, the way he was treated inside the detention center and his health conditions must be seriously examined.