Palestinian Authority (PA)’s security services yesterday detained 21 Palestinian protesters who arrived in Al-Manara Square to protest against the murder of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat.
Eyewitnesses said that 21 activists were detained as soon as they arrived at Al-Manara Square, including ten women.
Last month, PA security officers raided a house in Hebron (Al-Khalil) and brutally beat Nizar Banat to death. Banat, 42, was an outspoken critic of the PA’s corruption.
Thousands marching in Ramallah now calling for the downfall of Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority & justice for the assassinated Nizar Banat. Despite police and secret service violence, intimidation & sexual harassment — here we are, louder and larger and stronger than ever. pic.twitter.com/66tEMpTpFa
— Rana Nazzal رنا نزال (@rananazzalh) July 3, 2021
Palestinian activists planned to organize a rally in Al-Manara Square to protest against the PA’s murder of Banat, as well as against the authorities’ brutal crackdown on freedoms.
The spokesperson of the PA police said in a statement that the security services detained people who attempted to organize a gathering without permission.
In a press conference, lawyer Dana Farraj said: “The PA brutally attacked the protesters, including elderly women and former prisoners.” She said that the PA security officers held the women by the hair.
Palestinian Authority is targeting Palestinians, journalists, researchers, youth, any one calling them out on their abuses and crimes against #Palestine, & their aiding & abetting of Israeli apartheid. They're holding Haitham Siyaj hostage, hospitalizing him, detaining him. pic.twitter.com/rOD3mvgOSY
— مريم البرغوثي (@MariamBarghouti) July 6, 2021
Farraj said university students and professors were among those detained, as well as lawyer Diana Al-Ayesh.
PA spokesman Ibrahim Milhem said Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh had ordered the immediate release of all prisoners, however many remained in detention.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
