Palestinian Prison Guard Sentenced

A Palestinian guard who shot a prisoner to death was sentenced Friday to life in prison at hard labor by a Palestinian military court.

Assam Jalaiteh was convicted of killing prisoner Rashid Fityani, 25, who had been held in jail for nearly two years without trial, said Col. Hassan Salah of the West Bank Palestinian police.

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat had ordered Jalaiteh brought before a military court. Salah said Jalaiteh was sentenced in Jericho.

Police said Fityani was killed Tuesday during an argument with Jalaiteh. Fityani tried to attack the guard, who opened fire, killing him, according to the statement.

Israeli reports said Fityani was hit by 13 bullets at close range.

Fityani was arrested Jan. 17, 1995, along with six other Palestinians accused of killing an activist of the Muslim militant group Hamas in July 1994.

Human rights activist Bassam Eid, who has also been critical of prisoner treatment in Palestinian jails, said Friday that Jalaiteh did not receive a fair trial. Eid accused the Palestinian Authority of conducting “a hasty trial because the authority wants to quell the anger among the Palestinian people.”