Situation in the OPT – Letter from Palestine

Letter dated 27 December 1989 from the Permanent Observer

of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Upon instructions from the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of Palestine, I bring the following to your immediate attention:

On 20 December 1989, Khalid Kamel Al Sheik Ali, 27 years old, was killed at the hands of his Israeli interrogator at Abu Kbeir prison.  Khalid died as a result of repeated blows that took place during his interrogation and that resulted in internal haemorrhaging.

An autopsy was performed by Dr. Michael Baden, Forensic Sciences Director for the New York State Police, the results of which were the following:

– It confirmed that Mr. Ali's death was not natural.

– Signs of beatings were visible on Mr. Ali's body, mainly his back, legs and testicles.

– The cause of death was not a heart attack.

– The cause of death was severe internal bleeding in the abdomen as a result of the repeated blows Mr. Ali received.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Baden was accompanied during his performance of the autopsy by a Canadian lawyer from the Al Haq Institute and an Israeli lawyer, Mr. Bailek, from the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights and Mr. Abu Shaban, a Palestinian lawyer representing the Union of Palestinian Lawyers in Gaza.

Israel continues its flagrant violations of human rights against the Palestinian people.  We call upon the international community and, in particular, the General Assembly and the Security Council to take immediate action not only to condemn this brutality carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, but also to undertake effective measures to put an end to this inhumane Israeli oppression.

We would be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of this letter circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under the items entitled "The situation in the Middle East", "Question of Palestine" and "Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories", and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Zuhdi L. TERZI

Permanent Observer of

Palestine to the United Nations

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