Seventy-two-year-old Taleb Mohammed Abu Sitta died while he was being detained at the police headquarters in Deir Al Balah; middle Gaza.
He was a resident of Az-Zawaida village in central Gaza Strip.
According to Al Mezan's field investigations, on Wednesday 25 June 2008, at approximately 11:10am, a jeep with three armed men in civilian clothes came to the house of the victim's son, 26-year-old Mustafa Abu Sitta, in Az-Zawaida village and took him to the Deir Al Balah police station – drugs department.
Later that night, at 11:30pm, two cars carrying eight men stormed the house of Mustafa's father, 72-year-old Taleb Mohammed Abu Sitta, which is located near a school in Ibn Rushd Street in the village of Az-Zawaida.
There were three police officers among the group.
The five other men were dressed in civilian clothes and were armed with pistols.
They searched his home for about thirty minutes and then took Abu Sitta to the same police station in Deir Al-Balah.
The detention of Abu Sitta and his son, Mustafa, continued until Friday, 27 June, at approximately 7:00am, when Taleb Abu Sitta died inside the police station.
During its investigation, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights views the death of Abu Sitta inside the detention center as suspicious.
The deceased body was covered with bruises, which raises the suspicion that he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment during his detention.
Therefore, Al Mezan demands the relevant authorities to open an investigation and to verify the following: The actual cause of death of Abu Sitta.
Adherence to and respect for legal parameters related to habeas corpus and to investigating, arresting, and detaining civilians.
Identification of the arresting officers and determine if the arresting officers wearing civilian clothes have the authority to carry out such acts.
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