27th January 2016, HOW organized a workshop entitled “Comparing the International Standards of detention with the Standards used at Detention Centers in Gaza”, under the patronage of DCAF center for security, development and the rule of law.
The workshop was attended by a number of international experts, directors of police centers, and human rights organizations.
Mr. Frederic Maio, the director of DCAF office in Palestine, welcomed the audience and talked about the role of DCAF center in developing the security sector and enhancing the rule of law in the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Jeanpierre Restellini, the former commissioner general of Switzerland and a member in the European Union for preventing torture and inhuman treatment, explained about the international standards of detention and mentioned the rules of the United Nations for treating detainees (Mandela Rules) and compared them with the standards of detention used in the Gaza Strip. In addition, Dr. Restellini explained the basic rights that must be provided for the detainees such as the physical conditions of detention, the medical services, communication with the outside world, and the space of the prison, etc.
At the end of the meeting, the audience had an open discussion to search the rules and standards applied in Gaza and comparing them to the international standards. Finally, it is important to mention that this workshop comes within a series of workshops organized by the House of Wisdom, in order to develop the security sector in the Gaza Strip.
