Abdel Aziz Duwaik

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdel Aziz Duwaik (Arabic: عبد العزيز دويك) is a member of Hamas, and the current Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council since January 18, 2006. Duwaik was a university professor at An-Najah National University in Nablus on the West Bank.

Duwaik has been arrested many times and was exiled from the Palestinian territories and sent to southern Lebanon along with 400 other Hamas members by the Rabin administration in 1992.[1]

Abdel Aziz Duwaik was arrested by Israel on June 29, 2006 as part of Israel's Operation Summer Rains. He was later released and then rearrested August 6, 2006. Duwaik claims he was severely beaten while in custody. Duwaik's lawyers have also claimed that he is being held in unsanitary conditions.[2] In August 2006 Duwaik was charged in Israel for being of being a member of Hamas along with charges of being in contact with Khaled Meshaal, leader of Hamas. Duwaik claimed that this was a "political trial" and stated that he did not recognize it. Duwaik accused Israel of using "political blackmail" and claimed that his arrest was violation of international law.[2] Duwaik (with some other Palestinian ministers and parliament members) was prisoned in spite of his parliamentary immunity.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Waked, Ali. "'Our model is Muhammad': Hamas candidate for PA parliament speaks to Ynet about his views of the future", Ynetnews, 2006-02-16. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
  2. ^ a b "Hamas speaker charged in Israel", BBC News, 2006-08-22. Retrieved on 2008-04-19. 
Preceded by
Rawhi Fattouh		 Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council
2006-present		 Succeeded by
incumbent
 This Palestinian biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.