Lawyers for Justice condemns the systematic incitement of the group
Lawyers for Justice condemns the systematic incitement of the group and it’s director (Adv. Mohannad Karajeh), the group considers this campaign to be led via a page on Telegram that calls it self “ Eagle of Palestine“ close to officers in Palestinian Security Services, is an integral part of the persistent approach to incitement and repression against human rights action, and the dissemination of false news aimed at activists and human rights defenders. The group notes that this page and other pages supported by individuals in the security services represent social media platforms to incite against activists and human rights defenders These incitement media campaigns are often followed by the arrest of incited persons, the latest of which was the activist Muzed Saqf Alhayt who was arrested by the Preventive Security Service on Thursday night, 23-5-2024, beaten and tortured. Therefor, The Group calls upon the official authorities responsible, including the judiciary, to intervene urgently in order to put an end to this page and those responsible for it, because of their abuse and incitement affecting the entire national and social fabric, in a time where m official institutions must be a shield protecting public rights and freedoms. Also, the group endures security services the responsibility for broadcasting the mentioned page on the Telegram platform and other pages where they note the participation of officers and members of the security services who participate in campaigns of hate speech and misinformation directed against human rights defenders, political activists and opinion activists. Till here Lawyers for Justice issued in 27-5-2024.
Postponement of trial of alleged murderers of political and human rights activist Nizar Banat.
The trial of the accused in the case of the murder of political and human rights activist Nizar Banat was held at the Ramallah Military Court on Monday, 20-5-2024 During the trial, the defense counsel of all 14 previously released defendants, presented to the court witness Samir Abu Zarour, who’s retired since 2017. He was the head of the autopsy department of the Ministry of Justice. prior to his retirement in 2017. He represented the Independent Human Rights Commission in attendance at the autopsy of the late Nizar Banat following his murder on 24 July 2021 without participating in the autopsy. During the ongoing trial since September 2021, the court heard the testimony of the doctor and he was discussed by the defense counsel and the military prosecution. He also stated that he hadn’t applied for the examination, and what can be highlighted in this context is the assertion by the defense witness of the accused that the cause of death of Nizar Banat was due to an abnormal cause of death. In addition to determining the proportion of injuries on the dead person’s body by 21% of the body area, Distributed on the head, face and shoulder from the back, upper and lower limbs and back area, The witness also stated that these blows to the deceased’s body did not result to death, according to him. And the witness concluded that the cause of death, according to the autopsy committee, was caused by traumatic trauma resulting in death, the cause of death, from the witness’ point of view, was due to asphyxiation because of congestion in the face of the deceased, as described. At the end of the trial proceedings, the defense counsel requested to notice a witness and to be brought, and also requested that the next trial hearing be confidential, so that the testimony of the said witness would relate to national security, for that reasons, next hearing was postponed to 3.6-2024. In this context, Lawyer for Justice considers that the holding of the trial to be confidential contravenes the revolutionary Code of Criminal Procedure in force of 1979 and its amendments. Till here, Lawyers for Justice Issued in 21/5/2024.
Israeli military court in Ofer holds appeal hearing on the administrative decision to arrest human rights defender Diala Ayesh.
An appeal hearing was held today Thursday 16/5/2024, at the Military Occupation Court-Ofer of the prisoner of occupation, lawyer and human rights defender Diala Ayesh, to ascertain her previous four-month administrative arrest warrant, which expires by tomorrow Friday 17/5/2024, unless a new administrative arrest warrant is issued against her. The occupation army arrested lawyer Ayesh at the military checkpoint called Container in the south of the occupied West Bank on 17-1-2024 before referring her to administrative detention for four months. The prisoner suffers from poor conditions of detention as other prisoners and detainees in Israeli occupation prisons, particularly prisoners who got arrested during the war and aggression against the Gaza Strip and the cities of the occupied West Bank following October 7, 2023, in the context of war and aggression against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Prisoners of the Gaza Strip, which reports on the death of approximately 20 prisoners since the beginning of the war, Other than Gaza prisoners deprived of all kinds of legal representation before military courts or visits by lawyers or know the fate of those who were alive or martyred during or after the arrest. Prisoner Ayesh, who has been in Damon prison for four months, spoke during today’s session about the conditions of her detention, which reflect the situation of Palestinian women prisoners in occupation prisons; This reflects the deterioration of living conditions inside the prison, the reduction of the break at the prison, the reduction of food and the accumulation of detainees in each room, forcing four women prisoners inside her room to sleep on the floor. And the lack of clothes and covers, the lack of basic needs for women prisoners, as well as the poor handling during counting prisoners that is more frequent per day than before the war, In addition to the limited visits of lawyers, the continued deprivation of purchasing of needs from the Cafeteria (prison cafeteria). Lawyers for Justice fears of any renewal of the administrative detention of lawyer and human rights defender Diala Ayesh particularly with the expiration of the current order tomorrow, Friday 17.5.2024, and without a verdict on the appeal at today’s hearing The Group notes that all detainees under administrative detention are arbitrarily detained without any charges, on the basis of the Mandatory Emergency Law, which is contrary to all guarantees of a fair trial and is also totally incompatible with the right to self-determination. Till here, Lawyer for Justice Issued in 16/5/2024.
Lawyers for justice condemns the acts of security services for suppressing a peaceful protest that was held today in Ramallah to denounce the ongoing war and attacks against Gaza.
Lawyers for justice condemns the acts of security services for suppressing a peaceful protest that was held today in Ramallah to denounce the ongoing war and attacks against Gaza. During, the security services were present in both civil and military clothing, as repression occurred, assaults on children took place and while filming the demonstration, and personal sources also varied according to what was distinguished by attendance. During the past week, a solidarity march with prisoners in Israeli occupation prisons was suppressed as a result of what they had been subjected to since October 7. During the march, the protestors were suppressed. The group documented the attack and wounding of a prisoner’s son by security agents who suppressed the demonstration. The group also condemns the continued suppression practiced by security services, which breaches constitutional rights stipulated by the Palestinian constitutional law, and the increasing pace of political arrests that has targeted dozens of civilians over the past two weeks in various cities in The West bank under the grounds of opinion expression and political affiliation. the group also assures that the cases of repression and arbitrary arrests reflects the lack of seriousness of the decisions and statements issued by the new government related to correcting the conditions of public freedoms, and also contradicts the decree-law issued by the head of authority approving the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights within the system of national laws that guarantee civil and political rights and freedoms. Till here, Lawyers for Justice Issued in 10-5-2024.
Postponement the murder trial of political – human rights activist Nizar Banat.
Postponement the murder trial of political – human rights activist Nizar Banat. Lawyers for Justice pursues the course of the trial of the accused of killing political and human rights activist Nizar Banat, which was held on 6-5-2024 in front the military court in Ramallah. In accordance with the facts and circumstances, the Military court in Ramallah postponed the hearing pending notification of the next hearing by the Defense counsel which was appointed on 20-5-2024, a further hearing was held on 26-4-2024 and was postponed on 6-5-2024 for the same reason that the defendants’ defense counsel was not present. Lawyers for Justice appoints that the trial of 14 preventative security agents who are accused of killing activist Nizar Banat were released on 21-6-2022 by decision of the Military Public Prosecutor in conjunction with the first anniversary of their murder, no substantive proceedings have taken place in the case file in more than eight months, This would disrupt the trial proceedings and hinder access to the objective of the trial, the first session of the trial was held on 14-9-2021 after more than two and a half months of the assassination incident on the 24-6_2021 during the break-in by a security force of the Palestinian Preventive Security of the activists house at dawn hours and was severely beaten using iron and gas that led to his death, on the background of criticism by Palestinian Authority political officials. In this context, lawyers for justice stresses the need to expedite trial proceedings in earnest and to ensure that justice is served, particularly almost three years after the activist’s killing and more than two and a half years since the beginning of the trial. Lawyers for justice, Issued in 8/5/2024.
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
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
Due to the non-attendance of the witness (W.N), the scheduled court session for the accused involved in the killing of Nizar Banat at the Special Military Court in Ramallah was once again adjourned.
On this day, Sunday, June 11, 2023, the scheduled court session for the accused involved in the killing of Nizar Banat at the Special Military Court in Ramallah was once again adjourned due to the non-attendance of the witness (W.N). The session was held in the presence of the representatives of the Military Prosecution, the fourteen defendants, and the defense lawyer. The “Lawyers for Justice” group participated in the session in the capacity of an observer, with the intention of ensuring the preservation of fair trial safeguards. Additionally, several colleagues representing both local and international institutions, were present with the same objective in mind. The session opened at 12:18 am and was promptly adjourned at 12:23 due to the Military Prosecution informing the court that the Internal Security at the Police informed the Military Prosecution, today, that the witness is currently on sick leave. The rescheduled court proceedings are scheduled to take place on Monday, June 26, 2023. Accordingly; The “Lawyers for Justice” group calls on local and international human rights institutions to attend the upcoming sessions to ensure that they are conducted impartially and without delay. … Lawyers for Justice June 11, 2023