A statement to the public opinion on the decision for blocking media websites on the Internet
Lawyers for justice got surprised by the decision from the content of the judicial issued by the Ramallah Magistrate Court issued on 17/10/2019, this decision comes after the issuance of a similar decision with the same content that holds the number 11/2017 on 2/7/2017. Lawyers for justice consider the aforementioned decision issued by a Palestinian court as a political decision, with a legal cover aimed at curbing any media activity inconsistent with the policies of the existing political system, and this considered an infringement of rights and freedoms and reflects the government’s lack of seriousness in the decisions adopted by the public opinion on respect for freedoms and other opinion and also the freedom of press work in Palestine. Lawyers for Justice affirm that the decision violates the Palestinian Basic Law, as well as international agreements signed by the State of Occupied Palestine, which is committed to respect for rights and freedoms Including freedom of opinion and expression, especially when the incitement against national values, heritage and culture is proliferating and the approach to normalization continues without questioning or accountability. Lawyers for justice also affirm the necessity of reversing this decision and canceling all its legal effects, and not issuing such illegal decisions, and not issuing the law of freedom of speech, implication of this, is the exploitation of the practitioner against organs of the judiciary. Lawyers for justice had filed an appeal with the number 44/2018 before the Court of first Instance in Ramallah as an appeal against the previous decision, which was number 11/2017, lawyers for justice decided not to accept it from the court at the time, under the pretext of lack of jurisdiction according to the decision of the Appealing Court.
Mohammed Nasir
Mohammed Jamal Nasir, a student in berzeit university and a trade union activist, He was arrested by the Palestinian General Intelligence from Ramallah on Tuesday 22/10/2019, Mohammed Nasser is a former prisoner and was arrested in the General Intelligence in 2014. The lawyer Mohanad Karajah confirmed that his arrest was extended by the Public Prosecution inside the Intelligence Service on Wednesday 23/10/2019 for 24 hours He was interrogated by the Public Prosecution on Thursday 24/10/2019 on charges of collecting and receiving illegal funds. Mohanad Karajah stated that during the interrogation Nasir was tortured for long hours, Mohanad also noticed that Nasir was not able to move his fingers so he asked the public prosecution to transfer him to medical services, on the same day, the Public Prosecution requested the Ramallah Magistrate Court to extend his detention for 15 days until the investigation, the Magistrate Court approved the request, and extended the investigation period for 15 days, and present him to a forensic doctor. While Mohanad Karajah stated that during his escort he asked the magistrate to see him, and the court noticed that there were marks on Mohammed’s hands as a result of torture at the intelligence service. Lawyers for justice prevent the political detention and human and human rights defenders, which the General Intelligence Service got used to arrest the human rights activists on these charges and the continued detention will adversely affect detainee educational career. Lawyers for justice calling Berzeit University to take action and to stand with Nasir in order to release him and attend his classes, also to consider this act as a complaint to the Attorney General to open an immediate investigation into the torture.
Mohammed Abu-Hasan
Mohammed Nathmi Mohmoud Abu-Hasan, a journalist arrested by the Preventive Security in Tubas, from his workplace where Mahmoud works as a public relations manager in an electricity company in Tubas. Abu-Hasan was presented to the Public Prosecution on 14/10/2019, the second day on 15/10/2019 his detention was extended for 15 days for possession of a weapon without a license, and then he was transferred from the Preventive Security headquarters in Tubas to the Preventive Security headquarters in Ramallah 17/10/2019, then transferred to the Public Prosecution on 22/10/2019 on charges of collecting and receiving funds, all the investigations were in the presence of lawyer Muhannad Karajeh, and the interrogation was about his work and journalism in one of a Palestinian newspaper, His detention was extended for another 48 hours on 24/10/2019, and then brought to Ramallah Magistrate Court, then his detention was extended for 15 days without taking his activity, journalistic work, family circumstances seriously, and the fact he’s a human rights defender.
Rajaa’ Lahlouh
On 5/3/2018 an early retirement letter from the Ministry of Education, was sent to Ms. Rajaa’ Lahlouh, without sending a warning to her. Ms. Rajaa’ has 14 years experience in teaching, and has a master degree in translation. A letter has been submitted to the Ministry of Education to explain the reasons for her retirement, adding to that 117 is the total number of teachers who got an early retirement, Ms. Rajaa’ decided to visit the minister of education Mr. Awartani on 1/8/2019 and ask by herself about the early retirement, after the discussion he told her that the reason behind your early retirement is because you were one from a group of colleagues active in teacher mobility in 2016. The early retirement decision was used to impose the retirement on the teachers; Ms. Rajaa contacted the human rights institutions to resolve her case, she didn’t contact any lawyer, but unfortunately none of the institutions helped. On 20/10/2019 Ms. Raja protested in front of the Ministry of Education and burned her university degrees, but there was no reaction to this huge step.