The Ramallah Magistrate Court held its second session this Monday morning, April 20, 2026, in the trial of Attorney Mohannad Karajeh and the Lawyers for Justice group. The charges pertain to fabricated social media posts attributed to Attorney Karajeh and the group in late October of last year.
During the session, the Court addressed a formal challenge submitted by the Defense Council regarding the unconstitutionality of Article 150 of the Penal Code No. 16 of 1960, which relates to the charge of “inciting sectarian strife.” The defense argued that this article violates Article 19 of the Palestinian Amended Basic Law and relevant international human rights conventions.
In its ruling, the Court acknowledged that the aforementioned challenge addresses a fundamental constitutional issue concerning the compatibility of the penal text with constitutional guarantees of freedom of opinion and expression. Consequently, the Court found the challenge to be of a serious nature and granted the defense the statutory period to formally file the appeal before the Supreme Constitutional Court. To this end, the trial has been temporarily stayed pending the filing and adjudication of the constitutional challenge.
Lawyers for Justice views this decision by the Magistrate Court as a positive step toward re-evaluating the strategy employed by the Public Prosecution and executive authorities. This strategy has long involved utilizing the aforementioned penal text to prosecute and detain activists and human rights defenders a practice that has impacted hundreds of citizens over recent years.
In conclusion, the Group underscores the significance of the Magistrate Court’s decision at this juncture, especially as executive agencies continue to exercise repression under the guise of the law. The Group looks forward to the Constitutional Court granting this appeal the necessary deliberation, free from any external interference or influence, in order to uphold the legal and constitutional rights guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law.
End.
Lawyers for Justice
 Issued on April 20, 2026