http://english.wafa.ps/?action=detail&id=13638
Al Mezan Calls for International Protection of Civilians
Date : 19/1/2010 Time : 19:03
GAZA, January 19, 2010 (WAFA) Al Mezan Center for Human Rights called on the
international community to intervene and provide effective protection for
Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including
fishermen in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) opened fire at approximately 9:30pm on
Saturday 16 January 2010, on Palestinian fishing boats, arrested seven
fishermen and seized their boats off the Rafah coastline.
According to information collected by Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, at
approximately 9:30pm on Saturday 16 January 2010, the IOF opened fire on three
Palestinian fishing boats as the boats were heading out to fish in the sea.
Seven fishermen were on board the boats. The boats were outside the zone Israel
deems restricted. Palestinian fishermen are not allowed to approach the border
fence with Egypt. When the boats were attacked, they were less than 500 meters
west of the fishermen haven in Rafah; i.e. far away from the restricted zone.
According to eyewitnesses, five IOF rubber boats advanced towards the
Palestinian boats, opened fire on them and detained seven of them. The IOF also
confiscated their boats. Al Mezan identified the arrested fishermen as follows:
Salim Jamal Hasan Nu'man, 32; Mohammed Ahmed Al-Qirim, 38; Awwad 'Awad Sayid
As-Sa'idi, 43; Awad Munir Awad As-Sa'idi, 28; Ra'ed Sa'id Jamil Al-'Ashi, 25;
Safwat As-Sultan, 26; and Zaki Taroush, 45.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned the escalation of the IOF violations
against Palestinian fishermen. This new escalation comes as the IOF is
tightening the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip. “This new Israeli violation
supports the fact that the IOF prevents fishermen from working, even when they
are within the Israeli-determined fishing zone, which the IOF announced in
March 2009. The attack on the fishermen violates their rights, inter alia, to
security, adequate standard of living, and to work. Al Mezan is concerned about
the treatment of the fishermen and the possibility of subjecting them to
torture and/or inhumane and degrading treatment.”
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