Lawyers for Justice

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

Qalqilya Magistrate Court extended the detention of the teacher Moayad Shraim for 3 days.

Today, March 16, 2023, the Qalqilya Magistrate Court extended the detention of the detained teacher, Moayad Shraim, for a period of three days, due to a post attributed to him on the social networking sites Facebook, on the basis of the teachers’ movement. The Preventive Security in Qalqilya arrested teacher Shraim after he responded to a summons at the agency’s headquarters on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Accordingly; The group condemns the prosecution of teachers on the basis of their movement, or on the basis of their expression of opinions regarding this movement. … Lawyers for Justice March 16, 2023

Within the framework of the “Lawyers for Justice” group follow-up of the human rights and legal situation since the beginning of this week in the courts and prosecution offices of the West Bank; The group notes an increase in the number of arbitrary arrests by Palestinian security forces in the occupied West Bank.

Since the beginning of this week, the “Lawyers for Justice” group has followed up on 22 detainees who were arbitrarily arrested by the Palestinian security services, specifically the Preventive Security Service and the General Intelligence. It was distributed among the citizens who were arrested during this week and others from the previous weeks. Five of the above-mentioned citizens were arrested on the basis of their participation in the funeral of the martyr Abdel Fattah Kharousha, and another by order of the governor of Tulkarm. Today, the group obtained four decisions to release four of the above-mentioned detainees, in addition to two decisions yesterday in favor of two others. The group notes that the security services and the judiciary exploited the lawyers’ strike period for the purpose of arbitrary arrest of citizens, as well as extending their detention in the absence of a defense lawyer, which detracts from their right to a fair trial. … Lawyers for Justice March 15, 2023 To follow the news of the detainees, you can join Lawyers for Justice community via

The “Lawyers for Justice” group provides a briefing on the human rights situation in the West Bank to some foreign countries

Today, March 14, 2023, the “Lawyers for Justice” group attended a meeting at the representation of the Kingdom Netherlands Office in Al-Bireh, during which they gave a briefing on the human rights situation in the West Bank. The meeting was held in the presence of representatives of the European Union countries, Canada and Britain, and in the presence of the head of the European mission, as well as representatives of the “Lawyers for Justice” group who were invited by the representation of the Kingdom Netherlands. In this meeting, the group discussed the increasing attacks on the human rights system in the occupied West Bank, in light of the weak system of laws and the absence of oversight over the performance of the executive authority. During the meeting, the group presented the violations it is following up on, especially those against human rights defenders, political detainees, detainees on the basis of trade union and student activities, governor ordered detentions, and other violations. The group also talked about the violations that the group was subjected to as a result of its legal and human rights activities, and its continuous defense of human rights. … Lawyers for Justice March 14, 2023

Today, Monday, the Special Military Court in Ramallah postponed the trial of the defendants in the case of the murder of political activist Nizar Banat until March May 7, 2023.

Today, Monday,March 13, 2023, a session was held in the Special Military Court in Ramallah, for those accused of killing the political activist and candidate for the canceled legislative elections, the martyr Nizar Banat.   The session was held in the presence of the full court, the representatives of the Military Prosecution, the fourteen defendants. The “Lawyers for Justice” group attended the session as an observer of fair trial guarantees, in addition to the presence of some colleagues representing local and international institutions, and embassies for the same purpose.   For all this, and due to the strike of the Palestinian Bar Association, the court decided to postpone the lawsuit proceedings until May 7, 2023. … Lawyers for Justice March 13, 2023

The Public Prosecution extends the detention of those arrested on the basis of the participation in the funeral of the martyr Abdel Fattah Kharousha

Today, March 12, 2023, the Public Prosecution in Nablus extended the detention of Samir Hobeisha and the student at An-Najah University, Yaman Dweikat, who are detained by the General Intelligence, on the basis of participating in the funeral of the martyr Abd al-Fattah Kharousha. The detainee Dweikat raised the issue of being subjected to torture, represented by the shabeh, for a day and a half, by the General Intelligence forces, while the Public Prosecution charged him and the detainee Hobeisha with a charge of slander against the authority, during their interrogation. It is noteworthy that the arrest of Hobeisha and Dweikat came within the framework of a wide campaign of arrests launched by the Palestinian security services among the participants whom the security forces accused of participating in the funeral of the martyr Abdel Fattah Kharousha. This campaign of arrests began after the suppression of the martyr’s funeral procession … Lawyers for Justice March 12, 2023

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, “Lawyers for Justice” group launches an urgent appeal to stop the prosecution of activist Dr. Zahra Khdrouj.

The “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns the repeated and almost daily summons carried out by the Palestinian security agencies against the feminist and political activist, Dr. Zahra Khdrouj, and the executive director of the Asfour Cultural Center.   According to the activist Khdrouj; The campaign of continuous harassment against her by the Palestinian Authority security services began, since last June, three weeks after the opening of the Asfour Cultural Center, registered with the Ministry of National Economy, which began with being summoned by the Preventive Security Service in Qalqilya, and interrogated about the center’s cultural, national and political activities that usually target children and youth.   The activist Khdrouj added; After her appearance before the Preventive Security Service for the first time, the summons that the Palestinian security services carried out against her were repeated, and it became almost daily. However, she refused to appear after the first time, and after that the harassment varied to include inciting the guests of the center not to attend its activities, in addition to issuing a  decision to seize the on her bank accounts last August.   In the same context, the harassment of the activist Khdrouj was not limited to the harassment of the Palestinian security services only, but also extended to violations and harassment by the occupation, to prevent her from traveling, and entering the occupied territories.   Therefore, in conjunction with International Women’s Day; The “Lawyers for Justice” group launched an urgent appeal to stop the prosecution of activist Dr. Khdrouj, and calls on all local and international institutions to put pressure on the Palestinian Authority to stop pursuing her, and to enable her to complete her activities. … Lawyers for Justice March 10, 2023

Halhoul Magistrates Court refuses to release the political detainee and the student, Ahmad Alqam.

Today, March 5, 2023, Halhoul Magistrates Court rejected the release request, which was submitted by the family of the political detainee and the student at the Bethlehem Institute, Ahmed Aqam. The Preventive Security forces arrested Alqam on March 1, 2023, before referring his file to the public prosecution, who was accused of political charges, to cover up his unjustified detention. Accordingly; The “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns political arrests that violate the right of political and partisan pluralism, especially the arrest of students, which today affects their academic lives and their professional life. In the same context ; The group requires human rights institutions to put pressure on the preventive security to release Alqam, as well as to put pressure on the General Intelligence to release the student Washaha, who is being held at its headquarters in Ramallah … Lawyers for Justice March 5, 2023

The General Intelligence releases a witness to martyr Nizar Banat assassination.

Today, March 5, 2023, the Public Prosecution issued a decision to release the political activist, the cousin of the martyr Nizar Banat, and one of the witnesses to his assassination, Ammar Banat. Forces from the General Intelligence arrested the political activist, Ammar Banat, from his workplace in Hebron, Thursday, March 2, 2023. This is not the first time he has been arrested, but his arrest has been repeated since the assassination of the martyr Nizar Banat to pressure him not to testify before the Special Military Court at first, and to express his opinion in the case of the assassination of Nizar Banat and other public issues. … Lawyers for Justice March 5, 2023