The Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution holds a round table entitled "Overcrowding of detainees in police lock-ups: the reality and the proposed solutions"

The Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution organised a dialogue meeting entitled "Overcrowding of detainees in police lock-ups: the reality and the proposed solutions" on Thursday 1/9/2016 from 12:30 to 14:30 in the hall of the Al-Salam Abu Hasira restaurant on the Gaza seafront, in partnership with the joint programme of the United Nations Development Programme and UN Women for strengthening the rule of law, "Sawasya: Justice and Security for the Palestinian People", within the project "An Advanced Step Towards Justice in the Gaza Strip".

 

The session aimed to shed light on living conditions in police lock-ups, which hold large numbers of detainees, leading to the spread of disease and to staff not receiving their rights under the law. Many bodies took part, including representatives of the judiciary and the public prosecution, the directorate of reform and rehabilitation, police public relations, human rights organisations and lawyers.

 

The participants set out the problem and drew up the necessary recommendations, which include aftercare for reintegrating prisoners, activating alternative penalties and speedy trials, addressing the High Judicial Council, activating the role of bail, cooperation between the bodies concerned to ease overcrowding among detainees, reclassifying the offence of Tramadol use from a felony to a misdemeanour, finding solutions for those held over financial liabilities, strengthening the role of reconciliation and of public relations beyond their current level, the need for the public prosecution to expedite the filing of indictments, and obtaining a fatwa on zakat funds for debtors.