UPDATE: Israeli army prevents human rights lawyers access to Jenin hospital
17 April 2002

Last night, at 7 o'clock, a delegation of Amnesty International and
Lawyers without Borders, received a notification from lawyers at LAW and
Adalah, that they would be granted access to Jenin hospital, with access
to the rest of the refugee camp and other "closed military zones" in
other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territories still to be
confirmed. However, by that time, it was already dark outside. Israeli
tanks were patrolling the area, enforcing the military curfew. It was too
dangerous for the delegates to move at that stage.

This morning, at 7.30, the delegation arrived at Jenin hospital. After
half an hour, only the forensic expert, Derrick Pounder, was allowed
access to the hospital. Israeli soldiers refused access to the other
three human rights lawyers. The soldier refused to give his name and
identification and refused to give the name and identification of his
commanding officer, who instructed the soldier to refuse entry for the
three delegates. Meanwhile the attorney, who acts on behalf of Amnesty
International and Lawyers without Borders, has been in contact with the
legal advisor of the Israeli army. However, as at 9 o'clock this morning,
there is still no confirmation whether they will be allowed entry.

During the time, the delegation has been waiting, they have witnessed
Israeli soldiers at the checkpoint obstructing access for Palestinian Red
Crescent Society and United Nations ambulances to Jenin hospital. They
witnessed a pregnant woman in labor being ordered to step out the
ambulance and walk. After intervention by the human rights lawyers, the
Israeli soldiers allowed her to be moved on a stretcher. After some
delay, also her husband was allowed to pass.

LAW expresses its surprise that access for human rights lawyers has been
denied to Jenin hospital, when it is obvious there is no security reason,
as one of the delegates, forensic expert Dernot for any security purposes
as one of the delegates, a forensic expert Derrick Pounder was allowed
entry.

LAW believes that it is imperative that human rights lawyers and
humanitarian agencies, journalists and independent monitors are allowed
access and to investigate and record what has happened in Jenin refugee
camp.
____________________________

LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving
human rights through legal advocacy. LAW is affiliate to the
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the International Federation
for Human Rights (FIDH), and the World Organisation Organisation Against
Torture (OMCT).

LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment, PO Box 20873, Jerusalem, tel. +972-2-5833530, fax. +972-2-
5833317, email: law@lawsociety.org, web: www.lawsociety.org

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