Press conference to publish a report entitled “Ongoing Crisis; The Systematic Nature of the Suppression of Freedoms in the WestBank”
The “Lawyers for Justice” group is honored to invite you to attend its press conference, which will include the publication of a report on the arbitrary arrests during the Second year of the state of emergency, entitled “Ongoing Crisis; The Systematic Nature of the Suppression of Freedoms in the West Bank” on Thursday the 23th of February 2023 at 12:00 pm at Lawyers for Justice – Al Bireh – Al Balou’ – behind Bun Zheiman. #Ongoing_Crisis
The thirty-ninth session of the trial of the political activist and former detainee; Suha Jabara.
Today, February 20, 2023, the 39th session of the trial of the political activist and former detainee, Suha Jabara, was held at the Jericho Court of First Instance (Jericho Criminal Court). Jabara has been prosecuted since June 2019. She was arrested from her home in the town of Turmusaya in November 2018. The arrest was marked by physical and psychological torture, ill-treatment, a long-hour investigation at the headquarters of the Security Committee and a hunger strike. The Public Prosecution and the “Lawyers for Justice” group had concluded their evidence earlier, and only the stage of the prosecution’s pleading, and the group’s pleading, were left to complete the trial procedures. … Lawyers for Justice February 20, 2023
179 arrests from March 2021 – March 2022
During the second year of declaring the State of emergency (till 31/3/2022) “Lawyers for Justice Group” – will be referred to as the “Group” in the current report, due to its various members – had followed up approximately 179 detentions; Through human rights follow-up and legal representation. Additionally, the Group had documented other violations other than detention cases. #Ongoing_Crisis
detention on the basis of opinion and expression (March 2021- March 2022)
The “Lawyers for Justice” group worked with 75 cases, those who had been arrested on the background of freedom of opinion and expression, represent 41.8% of the total arrest cases. 11 cases were arrested for publishing political critiques on social media platforms, while 63 cases were arrested for political affiliation. #Ongoing_Crisis
Qalqilya Magistrate Court decides to release university student Abdullah Obaid
Today, “Lawyers for Justice” group obtained a decision from Qalqilya Magistrate’s Court to release the political detainee and university student, Abdullah Obaid, after his family submitted the prescribed guarantee of 100 Jordanian dinars as a cash bail, and 3000 Jordanian dinars as a personal guarantee. It is noteworthy that Obaid was arrested on January 30, 2023, and he was arrested in front of An-Najah University, where he is studying, by the Preventive Security Service, by officers driving a civilian car. Obaid’s arrest came against the backdrop of political and partisan pluralism, in addition to his student union work at the university. Accordingly; “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns the arrest of students and interrogation with them about their student union work within their universities, which is guaranteed by the international agreements and treaties to which the Palestinian Authority has committed itself, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and what is stated in the text of Article (22/2) thereof, which states “No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on members of the armed forces and of the police in their exercise of this right.” In addition to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what is stated in Article (23/4) thereof, which states that “Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests” The group emphasizes the need to provide a safe environment within universities so that students can enjoy the freedom of student union work. … February 12, 2023 Lawyers for Justice
The public prosecution in Ramallah has extended the detention of the political detainee and released prisoner, Ahed Khaddour, for 48 hours.
Since yesterday, “Lawyers for Justice” group has followed up the arrest of the political detainee, Ahed Khaddour, after the preventive security summoned him to meet them, then detained him and brought him this morning before the public prosecution. The Public Prosecution accused Khaddour of political charges, then extended his detention for 48 hours under the pretext of completing the investigation procedures. Accordingly; “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns these political arrests of released prisoners and former political detainees like Khaddour, and calls on the public prosecution to immediately release him. … Lawyers for Justice January 24, 2023
“Lawyers for Justice” group is following with great concern the flagrant violations of the human rights situation in the case of political detainee Basil Flayan.
“Lawyers for Justice” group is following up with great concern the flagrant violations in the case of the political, administrative detainee, Basil Flayan. Despite obtaining two release decisions from the Ramallah magistrate court, these decisions were as if they were not with the general intelligence. But the general intelligence refuses to abide by the court’s decisions to release him. Back on December 13, 2022, the general intelligence arrested Flayan as part of a wide campaign of political arrests launched by the Palestinian security services, and kept him in administrative detention, without going through the necessary legal procedures until December 22, 2022, when they referred his case to the Public Prosecution, which charged him with political charges, Until “Lawyers for Justice” group obtained a release decision in favor of Flayan from the Ramallah magistrate court; However, the general intelligence refused to release him, and on January 8, 2023, the general intelligence referred a new case to the Public Prosecution, which they had attached to him, and again, the Public Prosecution charged him with a new charge of a political nature, Until January 17, 2023, when he obtained a release decision after the group and his family completed the guarantee procedures, but again, the general intelligence is intransigent and refuses to implement the court’s decision to release Flayan, and keeps him in administrative detention without charging him with any charge, or presenting him to a court or public procuratorate , or be released. Accordingly, “Lawyers for Justice” group holds the general intelligence responsible for the life of detainee Flayan, especially after the allegations of torture he raised before the extension judge, and that the continued illegal and administrative detention of detainee Flayan may be evidence of his continued torture. Hence, we consider this statement as a communication to the Attorney General to report an illegally detained person as stated in the text of Article (128) of the Code of Criminal Procedures, and accordingly we ask the Attorney General to open an investigation into the illegal arrest of the detainee, And then take all the necessary legal measures represented in the immediate release of Flyan. … Lawyers for Justice January 23, 2023
“Lawyers for Justice” group obtains a decision to release the political detainee, and released prisoner, Basil Flayan.
Today, “Lawyers for Justice” group obtained a decision to release the political prisoner, Basil Flayan, by Ramallah’s first instance court in its appeal capacity, in return for providing a personal guarantee to the court of 500 Jordanian dinars; After the group appealed the Ramallah magistrate court’s decision to reject the release request. It is noteworthy that Flayan was arrested by the general intelligence on December 13, 2022 as part of a wide campaign of political arrests launched by the Palestinian security agencies, and the general intelligence kept him administratively detained without going through legal procedures until December 22, 2022. Then they referred his case to the public prosecution office, which charged him with political charges, until he obtained a release decision from the Ramallah magistrate court. However, the general intelligence refused to release him, and on January 8, 2023 they referred a new case to the public prosecution that they had attached to him, and again, the public prosecution charged him with a new political charge, until the date of the release decision that the group obtained today. It is noteworthy that the detainee Flayan had mentioned before the Ramallah Magistrate Court allegations of torture and ill-treatment, which they torture with special techniques called ( Shabeh) which means hanging human being into the ceiling from their hands and whipping them with plastic tubes. … Lawyers for Justice January 17, 2023
Postponing the trial session of those accused of killing the martyr Nizar Banat until January 29, 2023
Today, January 15, 2023, a trial session was held for the 14 members of the preventive security, accused of killing the martyr Nizar Banat, in the Special Military Court. The fourteen defendants were represented in this session, in addition to the presence of a representative of the military prosecution, and a lawyer from “Lawyers for Justice” group as an observer of fair trial guarantees, in addition to some colleagues representatives of human rights institutions, and it was noted that the defense attorney was absent. In this session, the representative of the military prosecution submitted to the special court a letter issued by the Palestinian Bar Association stating that there is a strike and suspension of work before the courts, and based on that, he requested to postpone the court session, which the court postponed until January 29, 2023. Accordingly, the “Lawyers for Justice” group considers this statement as an invitation to human rights organizations, local and international, to attend the next court session, to ensure that the sessions proceed fairly and without delay. … Lawyers for Justice January 15, 2023
The public prosecution refers the case of the Beit Sira detainees to the competent court
The day before yesterday, Thursday, January 12, 2023, the public prosecution referred the case of the Beit Sira detainees, Hamdan Wawi, Muhammad Arafat Hamdan, Mujahid Alqam; To the extension court, after interrogating them on Wednesday about a charge usually directed against political detainees, the extension court issued a decision requiring their release in exchange for a personal guarantee of 1,000 Jordanian dinars each. However, this decision was not implemented. On the same day, the public prosecution referred their case to the competent court, which decided to postpone their trial session to March 15, 2023, in order to allow the public prosecution to present its evidence, while keeping them in detention until the end of the trial procedures. … Lawyers for Justice January 14, 2023