United Nations (Antara/Xinhua-OANA) - The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process (UNSCO), Robert Serry, is "deeply saddened and concerned" about the death of a Palestinian detainee in Israeli custody, a UN spokesperson said at a daily briefing here on Monday. The 30-year-old Palestinian detainee, Arafat Jaradat, was arrested on Feb. 18 by the Shin Bet security service on suspicion of hurling rocks at Israeli civilians, Israeli media reported on Saturday evening. According to media reports, Israeli Prisons Services said in a statement that Jaradat died of a heart attack on Feb. 23 at a northern Israeli prison. However, the detainee's sudden death has raised concerns in the global community. "The special coordinator takes note of the preliminary findings of the autopsy that was conducted on Mr. Jaradat's body with the participation of Israeli and Palestinian experts," Eduardo del Buey, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, told reporters here. The UN "expects the autopsy to be followed by an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death, the results of which should be made public as soon as possible," del Buey added. In light of this event, the UN envoy reaffirmed the secretary- general's position that "international human rights obligations towards all Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Israeli custody must be fully respected." According to del Buey, the United Nations remains concerned about the deteriorating health of the remaining Palestinian detainees on hunger strike. The world body also reiterated that "those held on administrative detention without charge should be charged and face trial with judicial guarantees in accordance with international standards, or else they should be promptly released." Media reports said that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails went on a one-day hunger strike on Sunday in protest of the death of Jaradat.(*)


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