Lawyers for Justice Group Annual Report 2024
Urgent appeal for the release of students arrested at Birzeit University
Public statement by the Lawyers for Justice Group Lawyers for justice is monitoring with concern the continued detention of five Birzeit University students on the background of their on-campus student and trade union activities. The group has applied for the release of the arrested students, but these applications were rejected, in clear violation of their legal and constitutional rights. The arrest of these students constitutes a violation of freedom of opinion and expression, of freedom of association and of their right to engage in their legitimate activities. Such detention also hinders their academic career and reflects a repression of students’ freedoms. The Group expresses deep concern about the concerns raised by some detainees before the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ramallah Magistrate’s Court judge about torture and ill-treatment in detention These arrests are contrary to the State of Palestine’s international obligations under the treaties and conventions it has signed, which guarantee the right of individuals to engage in trade union work and protect their constitutional rights. A group of lawyers for justice makes an urgent appeal to local and international human rights and civil institutions to press for the immediate release of the arrested students and to ensure the protection of their fundamental rights. The Group also stresses the need to maintain and protect on-campus trade union work as a fundamental right for students to express and assemble peacefully. We affirm in the group of lawyers for justice our full readiness to pursue this case using all available legal means, and we call on all parties concerned to respect human rights and ensure the immediate release of the arrested students. Issued in 15-12-2024. Till here, Lawyers for Justice.
The wining of the human rights defender Lawyer Diala Ayesh of the award of “Index on Censorship”
*press release* “Lawyers for Justice” values the wining of the human rights defender Lawyer Diala Ayesh of the award of “Index on Censorship” in London, which was pronounced yesterday, awarding her for her outstanding role in protecting human rights and freedom of opinion and expression in Palestine. This tribute reflects activist Diala Ayesh unwavering and sustained commitment in the face of violations against Palestinian citizens, particularly in the area of freedom of expression, which face significant challenges under occupation. Lawyers for Justice Group also states that they had nominated lawyer Diala Ayesh for this award in recognition of her outstanding rights efforts, despite being detained in Israeli occupation prisons, where she is serving a period of administrative detention without trial. Her ongoing struggle from within prisons is a powerful symbol of resilience and upholding human rights in the face of oppression. Lawyers for Justice Congratulates Diala Ayesh, her family and all human rights activists, for this important achievement, stresses the importance of continued support and support for Palestinian detainees and the strengthening of domestic and international efforts to achieve justice and protect human rights in Palestine. Lawyers for Justice 21st November 2024
Public Statement issued by Lawyers for Justice Group regarding the trial of the human rights activist – Nizar Banat.
Lawyers for justice Group follows the continuation of the trial proceedings in the case of the murder of political and human rights activist Nizar Banat, whose first hearings began on 7-9-2021 and continue to date. Another trial hearing was held on 17-11-2024, which was postponed to complete the evidence of the accused’s agent. The hearing was postponed to this end until the date of the 01-12-2024. The Group notes that the trial proceedings, which have been for more than three years, remain in the role of providing defense evidence, while more than five hearings to bring a defense witness to the accused are frequently postponed. In this context, the Group of Lawyers for Justice emphasizes the need to respect the guarantees of a fair trial, including expeditious adjudication of the criminal case. Till here, Issued in 19/11/2024. Lawyers for Justice.
Press release: Nomination of human rights activist Diala Ayesh for the award of Index of Censorship – Freedom of Expression Awards.
Lawyers for justice group is proudly announcing the nominations of our collogue Diala Ayesh for the award of Index of Censorship – Freedom of Expression Awards. For her role in advocacy for the freedom and fair treatment of political prisoners. She has faced arrest, threats, and harassment from both the Israeli occupation forces and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Since 2018, Diala has monitored the suppression, arrest, or persecution of those exercising their human rights and also represented many of those who have been targeted. This includes those arrested during peaceful gatherings or protests and cultural institutions, such as Ashtar Theater, which faced severe suppression during a march in Ramallah in July 2022. Diala has also provided advice to women journalists who faced persecution by Palestinian security agencies and supported the advocacy campaign calling for the release of arrested university students. Following the Hamas 7 October attacks and Israel’s retaliation in Gaza, Diala had continued her work providing legal advice and visiting Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. On 17 January 2024, Israeli military forces arrested Diala Ayesh as she passed through a military checkpoint in the West Bank. On 25 January, she was issued with a four-month administrative detention order by the Israeli military’s Central Command for the occupied West Bank. It has been reported that the order was given without any charge or trial, and she did not appear before a court. This administrative detention order did not include any specific charges. The military court upheld this order, extending it for another four months until 17 May. It was subsequently renewed for an additional four months. According to her lawyers, Diala was subjected to assault, threats, and insults by Israeli soldiers during her arrest. During the first week of her arrest, Diala Ayesh was denied access to her lawyer and any phone calls. Her lawyer could only see her once on 23 January 2024. Since her arrest, her family has not heard from her, and they are not allowed to call or visit her. We wish our colleague all the best and hope for her winning the award for her dedicated work and her beliefs. Till here, Issued in 4-11-2024. Lawyers for Justice.
Lawyers for Justice Group condemns the continued detention of the Mazayed Saqf Al-Hayat
Lawyers for Justice Group condemns the continued detention of the human rights activist and political critic Mazayed Saqf Al-Hayat since 15-10-2024. The detention of the activist Mazayed is the third time this year follows ongoing defamation and incitement campaigns against him, on the background of his exercise of freedom of opinion and expression and criticism of the Palestinian Authority’s policies. Mazayed was indicted on charges of provoking sectarian nudity, wrongdoing against the authorities, defamation by using electronic means and demeaning the authorities on 21-10-2024. The Nablus Magistrates’ Court continues to refuse the release the activist to suspend his activities in the public order and security. Lawyers for Justice has appealed against decisions to reject the release, but the court has dismissed the appeal and kept the activist detained. Lawyers for Justice cautioned against the persistence of the repressive approach to issues of opinion and expression, which had become a threat to human rights and called on the Group to respect the detainee’s rights and not to be subjected to it and to ensure that he received a fair trial and his immediate release. Issued in 21-10-2024, Till here, Lawyers for Justice.
Denouncing the assault on lawyer Morsi Hussein and supporting official authorities.
Press release Lawyers for Justice condemns in the strongest terms the attack on lawyer Morsi Hussein in the city of Ramallah, which was an attempt to threaten his personal security, shoot his vehicle and then burn it down by lawlessness. This assault is a flagrant violation of the law and an attack on individuals’ freedom and rights, which is in total contravention of the principles of justice and human rights. Lawyers, including lawyer Morsi Hussein, play a crucial role in defending human rights and achieving justice. In this sense, the assault on counsel is an attack on the entire legal system and on the principles of justice that each lawyer seeks to achieve. Lawyers for Justice Calls for support for the efforts of law enforcement and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to quickly arrest and bring perpetrators to justice. We also call on civil society and human rights protection institutions to intervene to protect lawyers and ensure that they are able to carry out their work without threat or attack. In this context, we emphasize the need for the Bar Association to follow up with the competent authorities to ensure the necessary protection of lawyers and facilitate their work, in order to ensure that their independence is preserved and that they are protected from any attacks that may hinder their noble work. The assault on lawyers cannot be acceptable in any way, and we will all work to ensure a safe and encouraging environment for lawyers to continue their efforts in the pursuit of justice. Till here, Issued in 11-8-2024. Lawyers for Justice.
Lawyers for Justice held a meeting with Lawyers for Lawyers organization
Lawyers for Justice held a meeting on Tuesday, 9-7-2024, with Lawyers for Lawyers organization which is based in the Netherlands. During the visual communication meeting, the group welcomed the meeting, in which we discussed many issues related to the work of lawyers and human rights defenders and the harassment and incitement of lawyers in Palestine because of their legal activity, including the work of Lawyers for Justice. During the meeting on Palestinian Lawyer’s Day, the group detailed the prosecution of Palestinian lawyers by the Israeli forces , who have arrested nearly 30 lawyers and lawyers since the beginning of the aggression against the Gaza Strip in October last year. In addition to referring to the laws passed by the Israeli occupation forces following October 7, affecting Palestinian prisoners’ rights to occupation prisons and violating fair trial guarantees. The group also raised the harassment and incitement of lawyers by the executive branch because of their activism in the legal and legal defense of human rights defenders. Lawyers for Lawyers expressed solidarity with the work of Palestinian lawyers and the work of Lawyers for Justice in its defense of human rights In this context, the Group was informed of the Organization’s intention to issue a rejection statement of position condemning actions aimed at the work of legal and legal lawyers in the defense of human rights, It was also agreed to develop the relationship between the two parties during the next phase. Till here, Lawyers for Justice, Issued in 11-7-2024.
The trial of three activists of the enough telecommunication companies movement.
Three activists from Enough telecommunication companies movement, Jihad Abdo, Izz-aldeen Zoul and Musa al-Qaysieh, will be tried tomorrow, Tuesday, in Ramallah Magistrates’ Court charging them of defamation based on a complaint filed by the Palestinian Telecommunication Company (Paltel), due to their social and trade union activity to demand reduction in telecommunications prices and not to violate consumer protection laws and regulations. The hearing followed the postponement of the case on 30-6-2024 to enable the complainant’s agent, represented by the Palestinian telecommunications company, to comment on a memorandum of the names of the defense witnesses in the case. The Ramallah Magistrate’s Court had authorized on the 18-4-2024 to call defense witnesses, including the Chairman of the Palestinian Telecommunications Company, to testify before the Court before reversing their summons at a 30-6-2024 hearing at the request of the complainant’s agent who had shown the court that the purpose of calling the prosecuted witnesses was to procrastinate and procrastinate the case. Deferral of their summons at the request of the complainant’s agent. Lawyers for Justice is concerned about any decision by the Magistrate’s Court to prevent the summoning of the said witnesses, which detracts from the right of defense, noting that the previous hearing was the first session for the defense to present its evidence in the case that has been pending since 2020. It took more than four years for the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the complainant to submit the evidence, which the group considers to be a flagrant violation of fair trial guarantees and an inequitable violation of the rights of the accused. Till Here, Lawyers for Justice, Issued in 3-7-2024.
Postponement the murder trial of political – human rights activist Nizar Banat.
A court session was held yesterday, Monday 3rd of June 2024, at Ramallah’s Military Court in the Case of those accused of the murder of political and human rights activist Nizar Banat, during the session which was held in the presence of 14 accused members of Preventative Security services, the defense counsel requested to be given a while to bring witnesses who requested to be brought to the previous hearing. The said agent also requested to address the Aaliyah State Hospital in Hebron in order to bring him with a book showing whether electrical inconveniences had been performed to resuscitate the activist Banat when he was brought to the said hospital; The court rejected the defendant’s request to address the hospital. In response to his request for a witness, the trial was postponed until 1-7-2024. Till here, Issues in 4-6-2024 Lawyers for Justice