Lawyers for Justice are closely monitoring the escalating campaign of political arrests and the increasing repression carried out by the security agencies
Lawyers for Justice are closely monitoring the escalating campaign of political arrests and the increasing repression carried out by the security agencies since the beginning of the current month. The group has observed a rise in cases of arrests based on the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression. During this month, the group documented the arrests of three citizens by the Preventive Security Service due to their exercise of freedom of opinion and expression. Among them were the journalist Aqeel Awawdah, citizen Mohammed Hareebat, and Sheikh Mustafa Abu Ara, who were later released on bail. The Public Prosecution has charged the mentioned individuals with various accusations, including defamation against the authority, incitement to racial hatred, and slander against the President, relying on the Penal Code and the Cybercrime Law. Lawyers for Justice view these arrests as arbitrary and not grounded in the law, as they violate the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights conventions. The group calls for an immediate cessation of these arrests and urges authorities to refrain from pursuing citizens on such grounds. Additionally, the group demands the cancellation of the Cybercrime Law (Law No. 4 of 2018), which was enacted by the Executive Authority with the aim of silencing voices and limiting legitimate criticism on social media. It is worth noting that all cases brought under this law, related to freedom of opinion and expression, have resulted in judicial acquittals. The group believes that resorting to the deprivation of freedom and the detention of citizens based on their exercise of freedom of opinion and expression on social media falls under abuse of power and represents a deviation from the Palestinian Basic Law. This statement was issued by Lawyers for Justice on 27th July 2023.
Nablus Magistrate Court decided to release the political detainee Kaid Abu Al-Rish.
Today, Wednesday, July 27, 2023, Nablus Magistrate Court issued a decision to release the political detainee Kaid Abu Al-Rish on personal bail amounting to 2000 Jordanian dinars. Abu Al-Rish was arrested by forces affiliated with the Preventive Security Service on the 19th of July of the current year. During his detention, he suffered a heart attack, which necessitated his immediate transfer to the hospital. He remained under security guard during his stay at the hospital, but today he has been released following the issuance of the release decision, and the security guards have already left. … Lawyers for Justice 26, July 2023
The second appeal session filed by “Lawyers for Justice” group against the decision issued by the Ministry of Economy, which imposed restrictions on its registration, is scheduled to take place.
The second session regarding the appeal filed by “Lawyers for Justice” group against the decision issued by the Ministry of Economy, which imposed restrictions on its registration, is scheduled to be held tomorrow, June 21, 2023, at the Administrative Court in Ramallah. This appeal is in response to the decision made by the Ministry of Economy in Ramallah on March 26, 2023, which restricted the group’s registration as a civil company based on instructions from the General Intelligence Agency, as communicated to the group. Furthermore, the first session of the aforementioned appeal was held on June 7 of the current month, during which the court adjourned for further examination of the evidence presented by the group. The group reaffirms its commitment, as stated in previous statements, to continue its work that began in 2011, defying all deliberate obstacles it faces, in order to persist in defending human rights. In the same context, the group has been monitoring since the beginning of June, 23 cases of arbitrary arrests, 15 of which are related to political and party plurality, 7 arrests related to student union activities, and one arrest related to freedom of opinion and expression. Therefore, “Lawyers for Justice” group calls upon all colleagues in legal institutions to stand with the group and support it in its legal battle until the unjust decision against it is overturned. … Lawyers for Justice June 20, 2023
Ramallah Magistrate Court issues a decision to release the political detainee Fadi Ziadah.
Today, on June 20, 2023, Ramallah Magistrate Court issued a decision to release the political detainee, the freed prisoner, Fadi Ziadah, upon posting a personal bail of 5,000 Jordanian dinars. It is worth mentioning that Ziadah has been detained by the General Intelligence Agency in Ramallah since the 5th of June of this year. Lawyers for Justice June 20, 2023
The “Lawyers for Justice” group has documented twenty cases of arbitrary arrests since the beginning of June
The group “Lawyers for Justice” closely monitors the alarming escalation of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Palestinian security forces. This campaign has targeted university students, political activists, and human rights defenders. Since the beginning of June, the group has documented 20 cases of arbitrary arrests, conducted by the Preventive Security Service and the General Intelligence Service. The backgrounds and numbers of the detainees documented by the group are distributed as follows: thirteen arrests on the basis of political and party pluralism, six arrests related to university election results, including the arrest of a staff member at Birzeit University, and one arrest related to freedom of opinion and expression. The group has also noticed attempts by the security agencies to circumvent the law through attempts to legitimize detentions. Additionally, they have endangered the rights of detainees by fabricating new charges against them or re-detaining them under the pretext of review or appeal. In addition, the group has observed the presence of signs of torture on the bodies of many detainees, and/or their testimonies before the prosecution or the court indicating that they have been subjected to torture. Therefore, “Lawyers for Justice” group calls upon the Palestinian Authority to immediately and unconditionally release these detainees and ensure their legal rights. The group also urges fellow colleagues in local and international human rights organizations to intervene for the immediate release of all detainees. … Lawyers for Justice June 18, 2023
A statement issued by the “Lawyers for Justice” group regarding the arrest of Tariq Al-Haj Ali, an employee at Birzeit University.
The “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns in the strongest terms the arrest by the General Intelligence Service in Ramallah of the employee at Birzeit University, Tariq Haj Ali, and the confiscation of his car without any legal basis, after he and his wife were intercepted, and intimidated. The General Intelligence arrested Haj Ali in civilian clothes without carrying an arrest warrant, in addition to using excessive force by shooting near his car during his arrest. They also searched his wife’s phone and assaulted her. The group also denounces such arrests, in addition to the brutal method of arrest that accompanies many violations; Whether at the level of local laws or international agreements and treaties. Accordingly; The group calls for the immediate release of the detainee, Hajj Ali, and for those involved in his arrest and the shooting in the vicinity of his vehicle to be held accountable. … Lawyers for Justice 5, June 2023
The Nablus Prosecution Office decided to extend the detention of the political detainee, Muhammad Kony, for 48 hours.
Today, Monday, the Nablus Prosecution office extended the detention of political detainee Muhammad Al-Koni for forty-eight hours after he was interrogated on a political charge, despite obtaining a previous acquittal ruling in a case on the same charge. Al-Koni is a released prisoner, in addition to being a former detainee by the Palestinian security services. During the past years, the Palestinian security agencies took turns arresting him again and again, with a total of nearly twenty arrests, the last of which was last December. It is noteworthy that Al-Koni was arrested at dawn yesterday from his home by members of the General Intelligence Service, the arrest was accompanied by a house search, in addition to the confiscation of belongings related to his work, all this without bringing a judicial search warrant or judicial arrest warrant. … Lawyers for Justice 5, June 2023
The Qalqilya Magistrate Court issued a decision to release the political detainee, Ikrima Zamari
The Qalqilya Magistrate Court issued a decision to release the political detainee, Ikrima Zamari, on the condition of a personal guarantee of 1,000 Jordanian dinars. It is noteworthy that Zamari has been detained by the General Intelligence in Qalqilya since May 24, 2023. … Lawyers for Justice 4, June 2023
Lawyers for Justice obtains a decision to release political detainee Ahmed Allawi
Today, Sunday, the “Lawyers for Justice” group obtained a decision from Ramallah Magistrate’s Court to release the political detainee, Ahmad Allawi, with a personal guarantee of 2000 Jordanian dinars. It is noteworthy that Allawi is being held by the General Intelligence agency in Ramallah, while the Public Prosecution charged him with a political charge. … Lawyers for Justice 4, June 2023
Next Wednesday, the first session will be held regarding the administrative appeal submitted by the “Lawyers for Justice” group against the decision of the Ministry of National Economy to restrict the group’s registration as a civil company.
Following the decision issued by the Ministry of National Economy on March 26, 2023 to restrict the registration of the “Lawyers for Justice” group in the corporate registry as a civil company registered with the Ministry of National Economy based on instructions from the General Intelligence agency in Ramallah, the group filed an administrative appeal before the Administrative Court in Ramallah, to cancel the decision and issue a certificate for the year 2023, which will hold its first session on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. in this context; The group confirms what it issued in a previous statement 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 “Lawyers for Justice” group was also subjected to a systematic series of harassment and incitement that affected its work and its members since the beginning of its work, in an attempt to stop the group from its work in representing and advocating human rights defenders, and political detainees. And documenting the violations they are subjected to. In this context, the group affirms the continuation of its work, which it started in 2011, in defiance of all the harassment it is exposed to. During the month of May, the group followed up 34 cases of arrest against different backgrounds, distributed as follows: (23) Arrests on the basis of political and partisan pluralism, (4) Arrests on the Basis of Peaceful Assembly, (4) Arrests on the basis of student union work, (3) Arrests based on freedom of opinion and expression. In conclusion; Lawyers for Justice calls on colleagues in local and international human rights institutions to support the group in its legal quest to annul the administrative decision to freeze its registration, which came at the request of the General Intelligence Service. … Lawyers for Justice 3, June 2023