The family of a political activist who died in the custody of Palestinian security forces last month has accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) of trying to cover up his death.
Relatives of Nizar Banat, 43, said on Saturday they still have not received a document with an official cause of death, and said the PA has made efforts to settle the matter out of court.
“The behaviour of the Palestinian Authority until this moment is criminal behaviour, covering up a crime,” Ghassan Banat, Nazir’s brother, told reporters.
Nizar Banat was an outspoken critic of the PA who called on Western nations to stop providing aid to the PA due to human rights violations and growing authoritarianism.
In a series of posts and live videos on Facebook, Banat had criticised the authority’s close security coordination with Israel, seen by many Palestinians as betrayal, and its corruption. He also lashed out at President Mahmoud Abbas in April for calling off what would have been the first Palestinian elections in 15 years. Banat was a candidate on an opposition slate.
His family has said that on June 24 security forces stormed into Banat’s bedroom while he was sleeping and beat him, inflicting bloody head wounds before removing him from the house. He died shortly afterwards while in custody.
