Al Mezan strongly condemns the August 14th kidnapping of French sound technician Mohamed Al Ouathi).
Al Ouathi was kidnapped in front of the Gaza International Hotel in Gaza City, around 11.
30pm.
According to the Center’s fieldworkers, three unidentified armed persons driving a white Audi car stopped in front of the hotel and kidnapped the technician who carries French citizenship but is of Algerian origin.
Al Ouathi works for French television Channel 3.
This incident is the ninth of its kind since July 2004; 21 people have been kidnapped since that time.
At this time, no information about Al Ouathi’s whereabouts or the identities of the kidnappers has been received.
Al Ouathi has also now been held for longer than in any previous kidnapping.
This kidnapping comes less than a week after the kidnapping of two UNRWA staff.
That incident and those before it have now forced an evacuation of non-critical foreign UN staff.
The Al Mezan Center is gravely concerned by these kidnappings.
Al Mezan emphasizes that these incidents only further the deterioration of the security situation in Gaza, as well as demonstrating a lack of respect for the rule of law.
Both of these jeopardize the personal and societal safety of the Palestinians and negatively affect the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause before the international community.
Al Mezan demands that the PNA uphold its responsibilities by immediately opening an investigation into this incident.
The PNA must take speedy and effective action to bring the perpetrators to justice and enforce the rule of law in the Gaza Strip.
End