Palestinian Detainee tortured and murdered

Minister Qaraqe holds Israel fully responsible for the murdering of detainee Arafat Jaradat, who was martyred on Saturday in the Israeli Prison ‘Majido.

He, reiterating that: “States party to the UN Charter and relevant international conventions, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, have a standing legal and international responsibility to compel Israel to respect the law and stop the use of torture as well as holding Israel accountable for its clear violations of international law and the rights of Palestinian prisoners”.

[Please find below], for your information lawyer’s memo on Arafat Jaradat hearing, and Palestine Minister of Detainees Qaraqe- Initial Autopsy

Best wishes,
The General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific
Telephone: 61+(0)2+62869193
www.palestine-australia.com

Minister of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Reveals Preliminary Autopsy Results Qaraqe: Clear Signs of Torture Evident on Jaradat’s Body

24 February 2013

Minister of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs Issa Qaraqe convened a press conference this Sunday evening at the Palestine Government Media Center with Mr. Qadura Fares, head of the Prisoners’ Club, to announce the preliminary results of the autopsy conducted on the late detainee Arafat Jaradat, who was martyred on Saturday in the Israeli Prison ‘Majido”; the information shared was conveyed to the Minister the Dr. Saber Al-Aloul, the Director of the Palestinian Forensic Medicine Institute, who participated in the autopsy this Sunday afternoon.

“Respecting the right of the Jaradat family and our public to gain access to information relating to the late Arafat Jaradat’s death, we decided to announce the preliminary results of the autopsy, which will be included in the official report to the government tomorrow, Monday”, said the Minister, adding, “the information we have received so far is shocking and painful; the evidence corroborates our suspicion that Mr. Jaradat died as a result of torture, especially since the autopsy clearly proved that the victim’s heart was healthy, which disproves the initial alleged account presented by occupation authorities that he died of a heart attack”.

The Minister shared the following details from the autopsy findings:

Injuries and severe bruising in the upper right back area.

Severe bruises of sharp circular shape in the right chest area.

Evidence of severe torture and on the muscle of the upper left shoulder, parallel to the spine in the lower neck area.

Evidence of severe torture under the skin and inside the muscle of the right side of the chest.

Heart is in good condition and there were no signs of bruising or stroke.

Broken second and third rib in the right side of the chest.

Injuries in the middle of the muscle of the right hand.

Minister Qaraqe concluded by affirming “the full responsibility of the Israeli occupation for this crime”, reiterating that “States party to the UN Charter and relevant international conventions, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, have a standing legal and international responsibility to compel Israel to respect the law and stop the use of torture as well as holding Israel accountable for its clear violations of international law and the rights of Palestinian prisoners”.

Lawyer of the late Arafat Jaradat: He suffered from anxiety and fear, complained of being mistreated

In a memorandum delivered to the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, Arafat Jaradat’s attorney, Kmeil Sabbagh, describes the last court hearing of the late detainee Arafat and his health and psychological conditions. Below is a translation of the memorandum:

Date of court hearing: 21/2/2013

Happenings of the hearing: Police asked to extend Arafat Jaradat’s detention for 15 days and the judge extended his detention for 12 days for interrogation.

Date of the upcoming court hearing: 4/3/2013 in Al Jalameh.

Note: The detainee works in a gas station and he was detained on suspicion of throwing stones and fire bombs at Israeli targets as well activity against the security of the area.

The detainee told me that he admitted to throwing stones once in 2012 and once before in 2006 and that he denies all other reported suspicions.

When I asked him if anyone was injured from his stone-throwing, he said he does not know but he thinks that no one was hit.

The prisoner entered the court room and sat on a wooden chair, in front of the judge, I sat next to him, his back was bent, he looked tired and scared; I asked if he was ok, he said that

he’s suffering from sharp pain in the back and other parts of his body as he was interrogated for several hours.

Afterwards, I questioned the police investigator; I summed up what I wanted to say and directly asked him about Arafat’s health conditions and that he was suffering from back pain since he was arrested and interrogated for several hours, which caused his back pain and other aches and that his detention conditions are not appropriate.

The judge said that the health conditions of the prisoner have been addressed in a secret report that was presented to him by the police.

While the judge was writing the court’s decision, I turned to Arafat and tried to clarify the judge’s decision. When he realized that the judge will extend his detention, signs of fear started to appear on his face; he asked if he will stay in the cell in the upcoming days, I answered that this was a possibility or that he could be transferred to another place, but that in any case he will continue to be interrogated and that I could not do anything, that where he could stay during the interrogation process was beyond my control.

From the last conversation I had with Arafat Jaradat, it was clear to me that his psychological condition wasn’t stable and that he was suffering from high levels of anxiety and fear. Therefore, I asked the judge to add additional statements to the court session about Arafat’s psychological condition and after I was allowed by the military judge I said: “The defense attorney asks the court’s permission to submit a claim about the ‘suspect’s’ psychological conditions during his stay in solitary confinement and impresses the defense’s fear of psychological injury.

The attorney asks that this issue be addressed and that the detainee be given the needed care.” The judge then announced his decision: “The court asks the prison’s doctor to check on the detainee’s health, physical and psychological conditions and provide appropriate instructions to interrogation authorities as well as provide proper treatment.”

Court’s decision was to remand the detainee for additional 12 days, on Thursday 21/2/2013, at 10:00 am, as documented in the hearing report. According to the lawyer, the police interrogator confirmed that there were no additional allegations or suspicions besides those listed above.

Lawyer Memo on Arafat Jaradat Hearing 21February2013.pdf

Qaraqe- Initial Autopsy Report.pdf