Investigation ends with the death of Palestinian dissident Nizar Banat.. Indictment of all members of the security force

The spokesman for the Palestinian security services, Talal Dwaikat, announced that the military prosecution has completed investigations into the case of the slain Nizar Banat, and added that the military prosecution decided to charge all officers and members of the force that participated in carrying out the task of arresting him.

He pointed out that the number of members of the force was 14, and that all of them belong to the Preventive Security Service in the city of Hebron.

The accusations ranged from beatings leading to death, abuse of authority, and violating military instructions.

The investigation acquitted - according to Dwaikat - Lt. Col. Abu Halawa, Deputy Director of Preventive Security in Hebron, after it was proven that he was not involved in this incident based on the testimony of witnesses from the Nizar Banat family and other investigations conducted by the military judiciary.

He added that the case file will be referred to the competent military court to conduct the trial in accordance with due process.

Nizar Banat - an opposition activist - died during his arrest last June, and his family accused the Palestinian security force that arrested him of killing him, which sparked a wave of anger and protests in the Palestinian territories.

At that time, Ammar Banat, a spokesman for the family, said that what had happened was an assassination against Nizar.

"Nizar was arrested at 3:30 am by a security force from the Preventive Security and General Intelligence," he added.

He continued, "The force stormed the house of Nizar Banat after blowing up its entrance, and beat him with iron and wooden batons."

A preliminary report on the autopsy of Nizar Banat had indicated that there were traces of violence on his body, confirming that the death was not natural.

The incident of Nizar's death sparked wide international and popular responses calling for an independent and transparent investigation.

Nizar is known for his sharp criticism of the Palestinian Authority, the latest of which was his publication of a video in which he demanded to expose the corruption of the vaccine deal between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

An opinion poll published earlier by the Palestinian Center for Survey Research showed that 84% of Palestinians believe that the Palestinian Authority is corrupt.