Palestinian Bar Association: Police chief administrative powers are illegal

The head of the Palestinian Bar Association, Abdul Rahman Abu Al Nasser, described the declarations of the Chief of Palestinian police, General Ghazi Al-Jabali, who claimed to have administrative power giving him the right to arrest any Palestinian individual, as illegal.

Nasser added that there is no person who has this power under Palestinian law.

Al-Jabali considered the interference of the court system and its call for the release of Hamas official Abdul Aziz Rantisi as wrong because Rantisi's arrest was carried out according to the administrative rules of his and not according to judicial procedures.

Nasser stated that the powers of police chief are confined to receiving commands from the head of the national government and the general prosecution to implement necessary measures.

He also said that this procedure contradicts international conventions the Palestinian government has ratified, which became a part of Palestinian law in not allowing the arrest of any person without a specific accusation or a public trial.