Al Ashqar family, ongoing suffering and abuse by the army, a report

Saturday October 27, 2007 03:01 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies saed at imemc dot org

Friends of Humanity International published a report on the death of a Palestinian detainee in the Negev Israeli detention facility and the torture of his brother who became paralyzed. The report also highlights the ongoing suffering of their family.

In a detailed report published on Friday, the organization revealed the harm and suffering inflicted by the Israeli occupation on Al-Ashqar family,

The report includes details and facts documenting extended suffering inflicted by the occupation on the family of Saty Al-Ashqar, from Saida village, near Tulkarem city, in the northern part of the West Bank.

The family buried on Thursday its son, Mohammad, after he was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers who broke on Monday October, 24, into the Negev detention facility, where he was imprisoned, and fired rounds of live ammunition at the detainees. Several detainees were wounded, most injuries were in the head and chest.

The organization interviewed the father of Mohammad who said that Israeli soldiers repeatedly broke into his home, and that an officer once told him that he will “make his life a living hell, and will make everybody hate him”.

Commenting on the killing of his detained son, the father said that he has no doubt that it wasn’t an accident, especially due to the repeated threats by army officers to inflict more harm on the family.

The Organization mentioned in its report that since May 2003, soldiers broke into the house of Al-Ashqar 25 times causing damage to the property and to plants, and agricultural products belonging to the family, in addition to the ongoing psychological pressure and distress resulting from these ongoing raids.

The oldest son, Lu’ay, 31, was arrested on April 22, 2005, and was extremely tortured during interrogation in Kishon interrogation center; he became paralyzed due to extreme torture.

Also, the organization stated that the third son, Aseemar, 24, has disappeared after he told his family that he cannot tolerate all of these military attacks and breaking into the family’s home, and also told his family that he doesn’t want to go through what his brother Lu’ay went through.

The organization also reported that in an incident which took place on June 14, 2007, soldiers shot and killed resident Mohammad Abdul-Jabbar Tweir, 23, who was present in front of the house of Al-Ashqar. Soldiers though that Tweir is Aseemar.

The Organization demanded the formation of an international committee to probe the crimes practiced against the family of Al-Ashqar, and demanded that the officers and soldiers who are involved in shooting Mohammad in the Negev detention facility to be prosecuted.

The group also stated that all injured detainees must receive the needed medical attention and treatment. It also demanded that the family of Al Ashqar should be compensated, especially after the death of Mohammad and after Lu’ay became paralyzed due to torture.

The organization added that the Israeli government, the Israeli prisons authority and the army should end their violations against the detainees, and should prosecute all soldiers and officers involved in abuse cases.

The organization also stated that the International Red Cross should increase its visits to all Israeli detention facilities and interrogation camps in order to protect the detainees from the ongoing violations.

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