Israel: Detention and Possible Torture

Case ISR 200398

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT
intervention in the following situation in Israel.

Brief description of the situation:

The Public Committee Against Torture Israel (PCATI), a member of the
network, has expressed its grave concern for the physical and
psychological integrity of Mr Ahmed Halil Balbul.

According the information, Mr Ahmed Halil Balbul has been detained
since the 26th of February in Jerusalem's Russian Compound by Israel's
General Security Service (GSS). He has been denied access to meet with
his legal representatives. There are strong grounds for fearing that
he is being subjected to torture, despite assurances from the State
Attorney's Office that physical pressure is not being applied.

On February 26th 1998, Mr Ahmed Halil Balbul was arrested by traffic
police on the Dead Sea road. He was later transferred to GSS
headquarters in the Russian Compound. Since his arrest a series of
orders have been enacted to prevent him from meeting his legal
representatives. 

On March 18th, PCATI, through its legal representative Allegra
Pacheco, filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Israel demanding
that Mr Ahmed Halil Balbul be allowed to meet with his legal
representatives.

A hearing of his case has been set before the Supreme Court on Sunday
March 22, 1998.

Given the circumstances of his arrest and the great number of cases
documented by OMCT's network and many other NGOs there are grave fears
for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Ahmed Halil Balbul.

Action requested:
Please write to the authorities urging them to:

i.	guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr Ahmed
Halil Balbul and all other persons detained in the Jerusalem's Russian
Compound, including granting them immediate access to legal
representation; ii.	order the immediate release of Mr Ahmed Halil
Balbul in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges
exist, bring him immediately before an impartial and competent
tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times; iii.	bring
an immediate end to the use of arbitrary detention and torture by the
state of Israel; iv.	open a full impartial inquiry into the events,
identify all those responsible and bring them to trial and apply the
penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by legislation;
v.	ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and
international standards.

Addresses:
Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street,
Hakirya, Jerusalem 91007, State of Israel. Telex : 25279 mpres il. Fax
: + 972 3 691 7915 or + 972 2 566 48 38 Minister of Justice, Ministry
of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel.
Fax : + 972 2 52 85 438 Mr. Yitzhak Mordechai, Minister of Defense,
Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Fax:(+972-3)697 62 18 Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box
18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of
Israel. Fax : + 972 2 5826 769

Geneva, 20th March 1998

Please inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code number of
this appeal in your reply.

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.