Statement by the “Lawyers for Justice” group to the public, according to the decision of the Ministry of Economy to restrict its registration as a civil company.
Lawyers for Justice Group is following up on the decision issued against it by the Ministry of Economy in Ramallah on 26/03/2023, which prevents the renewal of the group’s registration in the corporate records as a specialized private company registered with the Ministry of Economy based on instructions from the General Intelligence Agency in Ramallah, according to what the group was told on the aforementioned date. The group emphasizes that the Ministry of Economy informed the group of the content of the decision when the group’s executive director reviewed the Ministry several times with the aim of issuing an updated registration certificate for the year 2023, and requested him to check with the General Intelligence ِ Agency if he wants to lift the restriction. In this context, the group confirms that it operates as a civil company registered with the Ministry of Economy in Ramallah, in line with the decisions and laws in force regarding civil companies to provide legal services and human rights, stated under the Articles of Association of the company with the Company’s Controller. The registration of the group as a specialized civil company comes in light of the restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Interior and the security services on the work of associations, institutions and non-profit companies registered under the laws by decree and instructions, this greatly affects the discourse and mechanism of action of associations, specialized institutions and non-profit companies working in the field of human rights defense. The group considers that the decision of the Ministry of Economy, which was taken at the request of the General Intelligence ِِِِAgency , as it was reported to the group, is as an integral part of suppressing, violations and prosecuting human rights discourse and combating human rights , especially during the past three years, which witnessed a sharp rise in the suppression of public freedoms and constitutional rights guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and international conventions on human rights. The group also considers that the decision of the Ministry of Economy to restrict the group and prevent it from obtaining a registration certificate for the year 2023, according to the instructions of the General Intelligence ِِِِAgency, which has no legal authority to issue such instructions, is a violation of the authority of the law and judicial oversight. Accordingly, the group filed an administrative lawsuit that was filed before the Registry of the Administrative Court on 4/5/2023 to appeal the decision of the Companies Controller based on the request of the General Intelligence, as he said. The group affirms that the procedures and restrictions it is exposed to deviate from the context of the applicable procedures and laws that the group respects and adheres to, as stated in a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy on 14/4/2023. Rather, it comes in the context of adapting the work of civil administrations to justify security policies that aim to curb and combat the group’s activity and exclude its human rights discourse. In this context, the group also confirms that these measures come at a time when the group is exposed to fabricated allegations about receiving financial support to finance human rights activities “with the intention of fighting the Palestinian Authority” Also, after a series of actions and prosecutions that the group was subjected to during the past years, the most recent of which was notifying the Palestinian Bar Association by the General Intelligence ِِِِAgency of its intention to summon the executive director of the group lawyer Muhannad Karajeh, during December 2022. Accordingly, the “Lawyers for Justice” group calls on the Ministry of National Economy and the Companies Controller in Ramallah to refrain from the decision to prevent the renewal of the group’s registration in the companies register and to ignore the above-mentioned instructions, which do not include a legal basis. Rather, it only expresses the state of harassment, oppression and incitement that the group has been subjected to during the past years, which took many forms with the aim of discouraging it from performing its lofty mission in defending human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and international conventions on human rights, as well as abolishing its monitoring role over the violations committed against the human rights system. The group also affirms its commitment to the Palestinian law in force, and refuses in any way to justify the measures taken against it in the framework of applying the law, especially since it knew of the restriction procedures and justifications recently. The ministry refused in any way to give the group through its legal representative a written submission explaining the truth of what happened, and that the group knew from the media about the ministry’s justifications about correcting its legal status and what it called a financial and administrative report, in a press statement issued by the Ministry on 4/14/2023. In conclusion, the group appreciates the positions of support and advocacy it received from human rights organizations partnering in human rights work, and the declared positions issued by them against the measures of repression and harassment that the group is subjected to, the group commends the positions of Front Line Defenders and Human Rights Watch. Also, It calls on all institutions to support the group in the illegal measures it is exposed to against its human rights discourse, and affirms that it continues its human rights and legal work in defending human rights despite all the challenges and obstacles. Lawyers for Justice April 15, 2023
Ramallah Magistrate Court extends the detention of the political detainee, Ahmed Khddour, for a period of 7 days.
Today, March 30, 2023, the Magistrate Court in Ramallah extended the detention of political detainee Ahmed Khddour for a period of 7 days, noting that he has been detained by the Preventive Security Service since Monday, March 27, 2023. The Public Prosecution had accused Khddour of accusations of a political nature. Noting that his father was arrested a month and a half ago by the Preventive Security Service after he was summoned to meet the security agency. … Lawyers for Justice March 30, 2023
As part of the revolving door policy, the occupation forces arrested the political detainee, who was released yesterday evening from the Jericho intelligence headquarters, Muhammad Blaibli.
Yesterday evening, March 22, 2023, the General Intelligence service in the city of Jericho released the political detainee, Muhammad Blaibli, according to a decision issued by the Magistrate Court in Jericho, on the condition of a personal guarantee of 2,000 Jordanian dinars, after being detained for political reasons for more than a week. While the Blaibli family was surprised today that he was arrested by the occupation forces while he was on his way from Nablus to his home in Tulkarem, while this arrest comes within the policy of the condemned and rejected revolving door, which makes the Palestinian citizen vulnerable to moving between the political detention centers of the Palestinian Authority and those of the occupation, with the aim of completing the same investigation. Accordingly; The “Lawyers for Justice” group renews its rejection and condemnation of the revolving door policy and political detentions, which contradict the provisions of Article (9) of the Palestinian Basic Law, which states that “Palestinians are equal before the law and the judiciary without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, political opinion, or disability.” … Lawyers for Justice March 23, 2023
The Qalqilya Magistrate Court acquitted the political detainee, Qassem Jaber.
Today, Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the Qalqilya Prosecution Office referred the file of the political detainee, Qassem Jabr, to the competent court (the Magistrate’s Court in Qalqilya), which acquitted him, and implicitly ordered his release. The Preventive Security Service in the city of Qalqilya had arrested Jabr on March 13, 2023 on the basis of political and partisan pluralism, and then referred his file to the Qalqilya Prosecution Office, which brought political charges against him and interrogated him about them. It is noteworthy that Jabr is a former political detainee, who was previously arrested by order of the Governor of Nablus, in addition to being a released prisoner from the occupation prisons. … Lawyers for Justice March 22, 2023
The Magistrate’s Court in Tulkarem issued a decision to release the political detainee Ahmad Jayousi.
Today, Monday, March 20, 2023, the Tulkarem Magistrate Court issued a decision to release the political detainee and the released prisoner, Ahmed al-Jayousi, on the condition of a personal guarantee of 5000 Jordanian dinars. Al-Jayousi was arrested by the Preventive Security Service in Tulkarem on March 14, on the basis of his political opinions. … Lawyers for Justice March 20, 2023
The Halhoul Prosecution Office decided to close the investigation file of the political detainee, Alaa Zaqeq.
Today, Monday, March 20, 2023, the Halhul Prosecution Office issued a decision to close the investigation file of political detainee Alaa Zaqeq, and release him. It is noteworthy that the General Intelligence forces in Hebron arrested Zaqeq at dawn on Friday, March 17, 2023, while he was leaving to perform the Fajr prayer. … Lawyers for Justice March 20, 2023
The Magistrate’s Court in Nablus acquitted all the citizens arrested for participating in the funeral of the martyr Abd al-Fattah Kharousha.
Today, Sunday, March 19, 2023, the Magistrate’s Court in Nablus acquitted all the citizens arrested for participating in the funeral of the martyr Abd al-Fattah Kharousha, after the Palestinian security services suppressed this funeral. Accordingly; The “Lawyers for Justice” group commended these court rulings, stressing in its role that such court rulings enhance citizen’s right to political participation, in addition to their right to freedom of opinion and expression. … Lawyers for Justice March 19, 2023
After referring his case to trial, the Qalqilya Magistrate Court decided to release the arrested teacher, Moayad Shreim.
Today, March 19, 2023, the Public Prosecution referred the investigation file of the detainee, teacher Moayad Shreim, to the Magistrate Court in Qalqilya, and the Public Prosecution read the indictment and its details, which included the charge of defaming the authorities, in violation of the provisions of Article (191) of Penal Code No. 16 of 1960. In conclusion, the court decided to release Shreim in exchange for a personal guarantee of 2,000 Jordanian dinars, and at the same time postponed the session to May 10, 2023, to give the Public Prosecution an opportunity to present its evidence, which is the testimony of a member of the Preventive Security Service. It is noteworthy that Shreim was arrested due to a post attributed to him on the social networking sites Facebook, on the basis of the teachers’ movement. … Lawyers for Justice March 19, 2023
The Halhoul Prosecution Office extended the detention of political detainee Alaa Zaqeq for 24 hours.
Today, March 19, 2023, the Halhoul Public Prosecution office extended the detention of political detainee Alaa Zaqeq, for a period of 24 hours, under the pretext of completing the investigation procedures. While the Public Prosecution charged the detainee, Zaqeq, with a charge of a political nature, which the Public Prosecution used to accuse the detainees based on the records of evidence collection prepared by the security services officers. On Friday, March 17, 2023, the General Intelligence Service arrested Zaqeq, who resides in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron. In this context, the “Lawyers for Justice” group follows with great concern the increase in arbitrary arrests in the West Bank, especially those related to the right to political and partisan pluralism, by the executive agencies. … Lawyers for Justice March 19, 2023
The Magistrate’s Court in Ramallah acquitted two activists of the “Tafah El- Kail” movement.
Yesterday, March 16, 2023, the Ramallah Magistrate Court acquitted activists Osama Khalil and Firas Brawish. The trial of Osama Khalil and Firas Braiwish before the Magistrate’s Court in Ramallah dates back to 2020, specifically to the twenty-eighth of July, following the arrest of them and their ten other companions, who were known as the activists of the “Tafah Al -Kail” movement, who tried to organize a demonstration against corruption on the nineteenth of July, 2020 in Al-Manara Square in the center of Ramallah. Accordingly, the “Lawyers for Justice” group appreciates the decision of the Magistrate’s Court judge to declare the activists Osama and Firas innocent, and also calls to stop prosecuting the activists and to prosecute the activists in court. … Lawyers for Justice March 17, 2023