Israel investigates death of Palestinian detainee in violent incident

Israeli and Palestinian sources reported on Thursday that the Israeli police have interrogated 20 prison guards to investigate the death of a Palestinian detainee who reportedly died after acts of violence. 

Last month, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club. announced, "The occupation's assassination of the prisoner Thaer Samih Abu Assab (38 years old) from Qalqilya province, in Negev Desert Prison, who has been detained since 27/5/2005, and sentenced to 25 years in prison." 

A police spokesperson stated, "This week, 19 prison guards were interrogated... After their interrogation, they were released under restrictive conditions." 

The spokesperson added that the investigation is ongoing "regarding an alleged violent incident that occurred about a month ago in a southern prison." 

The spokesperson did not provide further details but noted that the investigation is continuing. 

A spokesperson for the Israel Prison Service, responsible for prison management, declined to comment in response to a request from Agence France-Presse. 

According to Israeli media, Abu Assab was found dead in his cell, and he was a follower of the Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. 

Israel Today newspaper reported that the autopsy results did not determine whether he died from alleged violence by his guards. 

The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel issued a statement saying that the incident "raises serious doubts about the transformation of the Israel Prison Service from a professional prison authority into a retaliatory and punitive force." 

AFP