PCHR remembers Italian activist, Vittorio Arrigoni, on the first anniversary of his death in Gaza
[On] 15 April 2012, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) remember[ed] Italian activist, Vitttorio Arrigoni, on the first anniversary of his death in the Gaza Strip.
Arrigoni was kidnapped and murdered by an armed group who are entirely unrepresentative of the people in the Gaza Strip and Palestinian values and traditions. Arrigoni had been working in Gaza since 2008, when he arrived on board the "Free Gaza" flotilla, organized to break the Israeli illegal closure imposed on the Gaza Strip. He devoted himself to the Palestinian cause and participated in a number of peaceful and solidarity activities against violations of Palestinian civilians’ human rights by Israeli occupation authorities, including the illegal closure and “buffer zone” imposed on the Gaza Strip. Arrigoni’s genuine commitment towards the human rights of Palestinian civilians, particularly fishermen and peasants in the Gaza Strip -who are amongst those most affected by the Israeli illegal practices and policies-, is his legacy to the free world.
Those suspected to be responsible for Arrigoni’s kidnapping and killing are being tried by the Permanent Military Court in Gaza. Lawyers from PCHR follow the case on the basis of a power of attorney given to them by Arrigoni’s family and in coordination with the latter’s representative, Attorney Gilberto Pagani. PCHR calls for a comprehensive and genuine resolution of Arrigoni’s case, including all circumstances relating to his death, by the Gaza judiciary.