Postponement of the trial of the activists accused by the Palestinian Telecommunications Company to the date of April 30, 2023
Yesterday, February 8, 2023, the thirteenth hearing was held in the Ramallah Magistrate Court in the case of the three activists Jihad Abdo, Ezz El-Din Zaoul, and Musa Al-Qaisiyah. This case was filed against them after a complaint filed by the Palestinian Telecommunications Company, the subject of which was defamation by using the electronic network or a means of information technology, and the threat through the use of the electronic network or a means of information technology. The company is demanding the three activists for compensation of 10 million Jordanian dinars, in exchange for the damages that the company claims they caused. Accordingly, the “Lawyers for Justice” group condemns such prosecutions due to the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression, which is protected by Article 19 of the Palestinian Basic Law, which states: “There is no prejudice to freedom of opinion, and every person has the right to express his opinion and publish it verbally, in writing, or otherwise, means of expression or art, taking into account the provisions of the law.” … 9, February 2023 Lawyers for Justice
Proceedings of the trial of the accused in killing the activist Nizar Banat
Yesterday, January 29, 2023, a trial session was held at the special military court in Ramallah for the 14 members of the preventive security, accused of killing the martyr Nizar Banat, the session was held in the presence of the entire ruling body, and in the presence of the fourteen accused who were previously released, their attorney, and a representative of the military prosecution. “Lawyers for Justice” group followed the session as an observer of the trial sessions of the accused in the case of the murder of activist Nizar Banat, and some colleagues and representatives of local and international human rights institutions. Within the framework of the litigation procedures; The defense attorney presented his defense evidence, represented by an expert, who is a forensic doctor, head of the forensic medicine department in a hospital in Jordan, doctor (A.A.); Who submitted his report to the court, then he was discussed about this report by the defense attorney, the representative of the military prosecution, and by the court; he summarized in his report, “The cause of death of the deceased is due to heart and respiratory failure.” He added, “The cause of death is the health condition that the deceased was suffering from.” He commented on the forensic report, “What they found of the death result is not correct” The doctor (A.A) confirmed that his basis in constructing his report relied on the forensic medical report, the medical file of Nizar before his martyrdom, in addition to some papers and files that he received from the court. In its role, the Military Prosecution objected to showing the medical report prepared by the expert, expressing that it is a structural and office report, and it did not rely on examination, and autopsy, and that the approved reports must be issued by the competent authorities, but the court added the report to the case file. The observer of the “Lawyers for Justice” group made some observations during the session, which was initially represented by the expert detouring by answering some questions of the court and the prosecution, and answering them in general terms, the defense attorney intervened by adding some words or phrases to the expert’s answers, the presence of some terms in the report of the expert, who confirmed verbally that they are either wrong or not found in the medical dictionary, such as the term traumatic shock, The session was adjourned for 10 minutes, then he returned and said after the adjournment of the session, “The term traumatic shock exists only in the head and not in the rest of the body, and it does not apply to Nizar’s case, but rather what applies to Nizar’s case in the head is bruises” the defense attorney interrupted the court and the prosecution. It is noteworthy that the session was adjourned to February 26, 2023, and was postponed to allow the defense attorney to decide whether he wishes to provide additional evidence or not. It is worth mentioning that today’s session started at 10:00 and ended at 1:45. … January 30, 2023 Lawyers for Justice
“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
An urgent appeal for the release of political detainee Basil Flayan
Update: Despite the obtainment of two decisions to release the political detainee and released prisoner, Basil Flayan, and his previous detention before being referred to court for a period of nine days illegally, and the allegations of torture he raised, the General Intelligence is intransigent and refuses to abide by court decisions to release Flayan. Accordingly, “Lawyers for Justice” group regrets the continuous decline in the level of the human rights situation in the West Bank, and the exclusiveness of the executive authority in issuing decisions and implementing them as it pleases. And considering this brief statement as an urgent appeal to all human rights institutions, local and international, to press for the immediate release of the detainee Flayan, and all those detained illegally and arbitrarily. … Lawyers for Justice January 17, 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
Four release decisions issued by courts that the executive authority did not care about, followed by detention at the discretion of the governor, in which the political prisoner loses his grandmothers without allowing them to say goodbye to them.
The “Lawyers for Justice” group has followed up the detention of the political detainee, Muhammad Allawi, since September 1, 2022, by the Palestinian security agencies, During which he obtained his first release order from the Nablus Magistrate Court on September 12, 2022, indeed, he was released, until he went to collect his deposits the next day, and the security agencies re-arrested him without a legal basis. After that, he obtained three release decisions. Two from the Nablus Magistrate Court, and one from the Jericho Magistrate Court, but these decisions were not implemented. Allawi is now languishing in the security committee headquarter in Jericho, after he was arbitrarily and illegally arrested by the governor of Nablus, in a grave violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure. According to the allegations of his relatives; Allawi is going through a very bad psychological state, because of his arrest, and his continued detention for a period of more than four months, and his presence in the headquarters of the security committee reflected negatively on his psyche. In addition, his arrest at the headquarter of the security committee is in violation of the provisions of Article (182) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits the transfer of spatial jurisdiction to any court except with certain controls, and that is when its consideration in the circuit of the competent court would prejudice public security. On December 10, 2022, Allawi’s family met, as well as the families of the rest of the illegally detained political detainees, and they went out in a peaceful march; However, this march was suppressed by the Palestinian security agencies. About a month ago, Allawi’s grandmother passed away, and he was prevented from saying goodbye to her and/or participating in the funeral ceremonies. In the same context, at dawn yesterday his second grandmother died, and he was also prevented from having a farewell look. Accordingly; The “Lawyers for Justice” group considers this statement as a notification to the Attorney General or one of his assistants, first to report an illegally arrested detainee, and also to speed up his release so that he can participate in his grandmother’s funeral ceremonies. … Lawyers for Justice January 13, 2023
“Lawyers for Justice” group follows five detainees on the grounds of their participation in demonstrations condemning the arrest of political detainee Musab Shtayeh and his fellows
The “Lawyers for Justice” group followed five detainees on the grounds of their participation in demonstrations condemning the arrest of the political detainee Musab Shtayyeh and his fellows, one of them in Nablus, and the others in Tulkarem. Yesterday, the Palestinian security agencies referred the detainee, Ayman Rashid, from Nablus, to the public prosecution. He was interrogated on charges of illegal assembly, and at the same time they extended his detention for 24 hours; and today, the Nablus Magistrate Court extended his detention for 10 days. In the same context; Yesterday, the General Intelligence Service in Tulkarem released Khader Dhiab and Mahmoud Alaria, while Ghaith Mahawi and Omar Freij are still administratively detained without going through legal procedures. Accordingly; The Lawyers for Justice group affirms the right of individuals to demonstrate, as well as their right to adopt and embrace opinions. … Lawyers for Justice January 12, 2023
Lawyers For Justice met today with the director of the European Union’s political affairs department
Lawyers for Justice met today with the director of the European Union’s political affairs department, Mr. Ramesh De Silva, to discuss the human rights situation in the West Bank, Mr. de Silva explained the role of the European Union in protecting human rights, protecting human rights defenders in Palestine, and facilitating the work of the Lawyers for Justice group. In his role, lawyer Muhannad Karajeh, Director of Lawyers for Justice, explained the violations against human rights in the West Bank , as well as the group’s role in defending human rights defenders in the West Bank since the group’s founding in 2011. Mr. de Silva conveyed the concern of the European Union about the human rights violations reported by the Lawyers for Justice group, and renewed the European Union’s support for the group, and at the same time the European Union’s interest in reviewing such violations, to transfer them to the Palestinian Authority to pressure at them to stop it. … Lawyers for Justice January 11, 2023