Amnesty International said Friday that the Palestinian Authority has failed to hold its security forces accountable for the death of an activist in police custody a year ago.
The family of Nizar Banat, a prominent critic of the PA, says security forces stormed his residence in the middle of the night and beat him with metal batons. His death sparked weeks of protests against the PA, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, some of which were violently dispersed.
Palestinian authorities arrested 14 officers last summer and are trying them in a military court, but have taken no action against top commanders. Amnesty said the 14 were allowed a "holiday" from detention running from June 21 until July 2.
"The flawed military trial of 14 low-ranking security officers will not bring about justice," said Heba Morayef, Amnesty's regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.