Ramallah Magistrate Court Acquits Activist Fakhri Jaradat
Lawyers for Justice have obtained an acquittal from the Ramallah Magistrate Court in favor of detainee, activist, and human rights defender Fakhri Jaradat, in the case where he was prosecuted on charges of “unlawful assembly” for participating in protests condemning the killing of political activist Nizar Banat. This case highlights the ongoing attempts by the Public Prosecution to criminalize peaceful assembly, despite it being a right guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the State of Palestine is a signatory and which is in effect. It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation authorities later arrested activist Fakhri Jaradat and placed him under administrative detention — without charge or trial. We reiterate that defending rights and freedoms is not a crime, and that peaceful assembly is a right that must not be confiscated or criminalized.
Lawyers for Justice launches the report “Cybercrime: Between Implementation and Restriction” with support from the Swiss Representative Office and the European Union.
Lawyers for Justice launches the report “Cybercrime: Between Implementation and Restriction” with support from the Swiss Representative Office and the European Union. Lawyers for Justice launched its new report, “Cybercrime: Between Implementation and Restriction,” with support from the Swiss Representative Office in Palestine and in cooperation with the European Union. The launch event was held at the European Police Force (EUPOL COPPS) headquarters in Ramallah, and was attended by diplomatic representatives, local and international human rights organizations, as well as activists and human rights defenders. The meeting opened with a welcoming speech by Ms. Justine Hessler, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swiss Representative Office, followed by a speech by Ms. Basma Adawin, Director of the Human Rights and Civil Society Programme at the Office of the European Union Representative in Palestine. During the event, the Lawyers for Justice group presented a report, highlighting the violations contained in Cybercrime Law No. 10 of 2018, which contravene international treaties and agreements to which the State of Palestine has acceded. The group also reviewed the recommendations it had previously submitted to His Excellency the Minister of Justice, in his capacity as Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Reviewing the Law.The meeting featured activists such as Mona Shtayyeh, Jihad Abdo, and Roaa Razmak, who shared their personal experiences and those of human rights defenders with harassment and legal prosecution under the Cybercrime Law. It is worth noting that the Lawyers for Justice group submitted a copy of the report to His Excellency the Minister of Justice, as part of its efforts to contribute to the review and amendment of the Cybercrime Law in line with international human rights standards.
Lawyers for Justice and Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Ramallah – In a significant step towards strengthening the rights of Bedouins in the West Bank, the Lawyers for Justice group and the Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in documenting violations against Bedouins. The signing took place during a meeting held in the city of Ramallah. The meeting brought together Attorney Muhannad Karajah, Director of Lawyers for Justice, and Attorney Hassan Mleihat, Director of Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights. Discussions focused on key issues faced by Bedouins in the West Bank, particularly in the Jericho and Jordan Valley areas. Topics included numerous violations committed against them, such as land and pasture confiscation, the displacement of Bedouin communities, the imposition of fines and penalties by the occupation, and continuous attacks carried out by settlers. Additionally, the meeting addressed the publication of human rights reports to document these violations and the advocacy for Bedouin issues through coordination with local and international human rights organizations. This effort aims to support human rights and protect the Bedouin community from these arbitrary practices. This collaboration is part of a broader initiative to strengthen partnerships between Palestinian and international human rights institutions, ensuring justice and equality for Bedouins in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Meeting at the Ministry of Justice with Counselor Youssef Abdel Samad on behalf of the Minister of Justice
On Thursday, January 23, 2025, Lawyers for Justice submitted a study on the Cybercrime Law to the Ministry of Justice, supported by the Swiss Representative Office as part of the project “Enhancing Digital Rights: Protecting Freedom of Expression in Palestine” in partnership with local and international civil society organizations. The submission was made by Lawyers for Justice, represented by Attorney Ameera Al-Badareen and researcher Ghaida Labadi, in the presence of Ms. Hadba Askar, representing the Legal Clinic at Birzeit University. The study was received on behalf of the Minister of Justice, Counselor Sharhabil Al-Za’im, by Legal Advisor Yousef Abd Al-Samad. The meeting focused on reviewing the Cybercrime Law according to the study, especially concerning the contradictions of its provisions with legal principles, procedural laws, and international human rights law. The observations were presented based on legal applications and cases monitored by Lawyers for Justice as part of their legal representation for each case. Attorney Ameera Al-Badareen highlighted the key concerns, violations, and abuses that took place against citizens, human rights activists, journalists, and civil society bloggers on the internet, with particular focus on the advisory opinion of the ISLP project as outlined in the study. Ms. Hadba Askar presented the mechanism for involving students from the Legal Clinic at Birzeit University in discussions and legal commentary on the provisions of the law. Researcher Ghaida Labadi concluded with recommendations, the most important of which are adopting a legal stance regarding the clarification of basic definitions, ensuring proportional penalties, enhancing privacy protection, and introducing independent oversight mechanisms. These recommendations had previously been approved unanimously by the advisory committee made up of human rights defenders, trade unionists, journalists, and civil society organizations, including the Independent Commission for Human Rights, Istiqlal Foundation, the Office of the High Commissioner, and other local and international institutions. These recommendations were preceded by consultative meetings and the issuance of a policy paper. Legal Advisor Yousef Abd Al-Samad expressed the Ministry of Justice’s openness to cooperate and incorporate these legal observations into the review of the issued decrees and amendments, ensuring the rights and freedoms of Palestinian citizens are protected. The Ministry is also open to community dialogue with all concerned parties, especially security agencies, in cooperation with civil society organizations, particularly with the launch of the Palestinian Ministry of Justice’s electronic public consultation platform and legal observatory, to which cooperation on this matter was also invited. Issued on: January 26, 2025Ramallah
Press Release
Press Release The Israeli Occupation Authorities Release Human Rights Defender Lawyer Diala Ayesh after a Year of Administrative Detention. The Israeli occupation authorities released lawyer and human rights activist Diala Ayesh on Tuesday, January 14 2025, from the Jalameh checkpoint in Jenin, after more than a year of arbitrary administrative detention. Lawyer Diala Ayesh was arrested by Israeli occupation forces nearly a year ago while passing through the Container checkpoint in the southern West Bank. During her detention, she was subjected to oppressive practices, including torture, maltreatment, and solitary confinement on several occasions. Diala Ayesh is a prominent human rights defender who has worked throughout her career to provide legal representation for human rights defenders, promote Palestinian rights, and expose the violations committed by the occupation authorities against Palestinian civilians. Her release comes at a time when Palestinian prisoners are subjected to unjust mistreatment, violating the Third Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war. This illegal administrative detention was part of the occupation authorities’ policy to suppress Palestinian activists working to expose Israeli violations. Through this experience, Diala Ayesh continues to serve as a living example of resilience and resistance against the Israeli oppression machine. Lawyers for Justice group reaffirms the necessity of raising awareness against the practice of administrative detention, which is a blatant violation of basic human rights, and emphasizes its ongoing commitment to supporting all activists and human rights defenders in confronting the repressive policies of the occupation. Until now, 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
Lawyers for Justice Group obtained acquittal by Qalqiliya Magistrates’ Court
On Sunday, 10-11-2024, Lawyers for Justice Group obtained an acquittal merit issued by the Qalqilya Magistrate’s Court against citizen Roaa Rimzeq. She was charged of the authority contrary to article 45 of the Cybercrime Act No. 10 of 2018. Citizen Rizmeq was prosecuted by the Cybercrime Unit of the Police Service in early April 2024 on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Ministry of Education concerning the citizenship of Rizmik against a publication criticizing the Ministry, before being referred for investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office of Qalqilya on 26-8-2024. The Group appreciates the decision of the Qalqilya Magistrates’ Court to issue the acquittal in terms of the outcome. It calls for a comprehensive review of the Cybercrime Law No. 10 of 2018 to amend its articles to ensure and guarantee freedom of opinion and expression without restriction and to prevent the continued prosecution of citizens in the exercise of their constitutional rights under the Palestinian Constitutional Law. Till here, Issued in 11-11-2024. Lawyers for Justice.
Meeting with the Ministry of Justice.
On Sunday, 6-10-2024, Lawyers for justice group held a meeting with the Minister of Justice, Chancellor Sharhabil al-Zaim, in his office in the presence of the Undersecretary of Justice, Professor Ahmed Zabaleh. During the meeting, lawyers for justice expressed about their new project with the support of the Swiss Representative in Palestine and his relationship with the Ministry of Justice. The meeting addressed several issues related to the review of national laws, including a review of the Cybercrime Law. The Minister of Justice expressed the Ministry of Justice’s openness to all forms of cooperation and consultation and to the principle of partnering with Palestinian human rights and civil society institutions in any new ideas and discussing all issues and draft laws at the Council of Ministers table, in order to achieve the goal we all work towards serving the Palestinian citizen and achieving the public interest and protecting public rights and freedoms. The Minister of Justice reaffirmed the State of Palestine’s commitment to harmonizing legislation with all international conventions and treaties signed by the State of Palestine. Both parties expressed their willingness to cooperate in achieving the project’s objectives with the support of the Swiss Representative in Palestine. Till here, Issued in 8-10-2024. 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.