The state of insecurity has recommenced and escalated to take a serious turn in the Gaza Strip.
Manifestations of this state are engendered in the increase of cases of abduction, murder and torture that have been conducted by masked gunmen lately.
In addition, attacks on private institutions have increased, such as those against two media offices this week.
Al Mezan has also documented frequent acts of abduction and torture by Al Qassam Brigades.
Al Mezan has no information about serious investigations into these cases or holding any persons accountable for them.
According to Al Mezan’s field investigations, at approximately 7pm on Monday 1 October 2007, about 14 masked gunmen attacked two road sellers who sold cigarettes near An-Nour Mosque in Abassan Al Kabira town, south east of the Gaza Strip and beat them severely.
The same men attacked people who intervened to defuse the dispute.
When arrived at the scene, the Executive Force (EF) did not arrest the assailants, but clashed with the residents of the neighborhood where the incident occurred.
They broke into many homes and arrested 40 people, according to eyewitnesses.
All of those who were arrested were released later, according to the affidavits they gave to Al Mezan.
But they were subjected to torture and cruel treatment during their detention.
Some of them had their hair cut forcibly.
29 people were injured during the clashes between citizens and the EF in this incident.
Of whom 9 were injured from live bullets fired by the EF.
Al Mezan also knew that the same masked men destroyed a statue for the deceased president Yasser Arafat in the neighborhood.
At approximately 10.
30pm on Sunday, 30 September 2007, 30-year-old Salah Rajab Qdeih and 28-year-old Maher Hilmy Qdeih were severely beaten by unknown men while they were on their way to home.
Later, a group called itself "The Promotion of Virtue and Suppression of Vice” claimed responsibility for the incident and said they would attack smokers of cigarettes and shisha (a traditional pipe for smoking tobacco).
A similar incident occurred at approximately 10pm on 2 September 2007, when unknown gunmen kidnapped ten people who were cigarettes road sellers in different areas of Gaza City.
The ten were held blindfolded and handcuffed and taken away to a place they could not identify.
They were beaten and faced accusations of collaboration with what the abductors called the "West Bank government" and Israel, and that they acted against the Al Qassam Brigades.
All of the abductees were released at approximately 3am on the next day.
They were ordered not to return to selling cigarettes at crossroads.
At approximately 8pm on 30 September 2007, a group of masked gunmen abducted Issa Fawzi Hammad in Al Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City.
The victim was opening his shop when five masked men in black clothes walked out from a jeep and forced him to enter it at gun point.
He said the jeep left the area fast and stopped near the Shuhada mosque in the camp where they blindfolded and handcuffed him.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan Hammad said they drove him to a place near the beach, not far from the refugee camp.
He was searched and they took his cell phone and money from him.
He was ordered to leave the jeep and kneel.
Several men beat him and started asking him if he owned a gun.
They also asked him a bout his son and his brother who are in the West Bank working for the Preventive Security.
He said that when he denied having a gun the men beat him severely and used electric shocks on him.
Al Mezan's fieldworker reported that he saw the signs of severe beating and electric shock on his skin.
In a spate incident in the east of Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, a group of masked men abducted four persons from the same family at 1am on 27 September 2007.
The victims were identified as 24-year-old Shadi Abu Daqqa; 26-year-old Fadi Abu Daqqa; 27-year-old Raji Abu Daqqa; and 24-year-old Ali Abu Daqqa.
They were released after 24 hours.
The victims said they were held at Al Rumaida site, which is located east to Khan Younis and run by the Al Qassam Brigades.
They were tortured and subjected to cruel treatment during their detention.
Al Mezan has also observed an increase in the cases of murder that have not been punished.
At approximately, 9am on Tuesday 11 September 2007, the corpse of Tal'at Al Nahhal was found inside the former settlement of Nizarim, south of Gaza City.
Al Nahhal was abducted by masked men at 6.
30am on Sunday 9 September 2007 in Kherbet Al Adas village in Rafah, where he lives.
He died from a live bullet to his head.
Signs of torture were clearly seen on his body.
There has not been any information about the perpetrators of the reasons behind his murder.
At approximately 8.
20pm on Thursday 6 September 2007, a group of masked gunmen abducted 21-year-old Ibrahim Dughmush and 27-year-old Tarazan Dughmush from Tel Al Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City.
After one hour, the former was admitted at the Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after he sustained wounds from a bullet to his back.
At approximately 11.
30pm on the same day, the body of the latter was found near Gaza Valley, south to Gaza City.
He died from a bullet to his head.
No information has been available about the identity of motives of the perpetrators.
Moreover, 12-year-old Zaki Ibrahim Al Fasees has been missing since Monday 10 September 2007.
Al Mezan's attempts to locate him have failed so far.
The Center followed on information that he was detained at the Al Mashtal detention center in Gaza City; however, the detention center's officers denied he was there.
It is worth noting that the offices of two newspapers were trespassed and much of their equipment was destroyed and stolen this week.
Al Mezan Center is gravely concerned by the escalation of the state of insecurity in the Gaza Strip; especially the continued assaults on citizens and institutions without identifying the perpetrators.
The Center condemns the continued use of force against Palestinian citizens and the torture of individuals under detention as mentioned in this release.
These conducts constitute serious breaches of the Palestinian Basic Law and Penal Law.
They are also contrary to the instructions stated in the recent decision that was issued by the deposed PM, Ismail Hanniyeh, on 26 September 2007, which was commended by the Center.
Al Mezan therefore calls for: - Initiating an investigation into the conditions surrounding the disappearance of Al Fasees.
The authorities in Gaza bear responsibility for the life and security of citizens.
Initiating investigations into the cases in which excessive, disproportionate force was used against citizens and bring all those who prove to be involved in these conducts to justice.
- Initiating serious investigations into the cases of torture; including those mentioned above and other cases that have been reported previously.
Those who prove to be involved by committing and/or ordering employment of torture must be held accountable for their conduct.
In particular, the cases which occurred after the issuance of Mr.
Hanniyeh's decision must be investigated without delay.
- Initiating investigations into the acts of abduction and torture of citizens, in which two citizens have been killed so far, by masked armed men.
The individuals or groups who stand behind these acts must be revealed and brought to justice.
- Taking effective measures to deal with the group called "The Promotion of Virtue and Suppression of Vice”, reveal the persons who operate it and deal with them in accord with the law.
This group's behavior has proved to be too radical and based on an extreme view of religion that has infringed on the freedoms recognized and protected by the Palestinian law.
End