A political detainee Sulaiman Qatash hasn’t been presented to any judicial entity since 3 days
For three day in straight; the Palestinian Preventive Security Forces in Ramallah refuse to present the political detainee Suliaman Qatash to any judicial entity, note that he was detained in the preventive security center on 6/6/2022, after he was arrested from his home in the village of Yabroud, Ramallah district, at ten o’clock at night. Sulaiman Qatash is a former political detainee and a former prisoner in the occupying Israeli prisons as the youngest administrative prisoner for several months. His father; Salem Qatash is a former political detainee and he is currently imprisoned in the occupying Israeli prisons. Today, The General Prosecution has rejected the Lawyers for Justice group’s request to visit the detainee Qatash, on the pretext that there is no file for him in the Prosecution’s records, after the preventive security refused to allow the group to visit him. Lawyers for Justice group calls the Public Prosecution to take a serious action; to immediately release the detainee Qatash, especially after the Prosecution of Ramallah refrained from offering protection procedures and trial guarantees for Qatash. The group also calls all human rights organizations to take immediate action to ensure that the aforementioned detainee is not subjected to any harm or threat.
Continuing violations of human rights and public freedoms: highlighting some current cases
As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2022, the Palestinian arena is still witnessing increasing repression of public freedoms and human rights, and union and student work, and we are still in the presence of arbitrary detention without any legal justification.Recently, the most prominent violation was through firing live bullets and using weapons during the arrest process of activist and political critic Mohammed Amr on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, without presenting a legal arrest warrant. .Children were also not spared from arbitrary arrest. Shaddad Amro from Hebron, 17 years old, is still being held by the intelligence service without being brought before any legal body, in clear violation of the rules of criminal trials, and the 16-year-old child Izz al-Din Shakhshir from Nablus is in custody. Political arrest and accusation!While universities are approaching the elections of their student councils, the democratic electoral atmosphere in which the Palestinian arena celebrates, the security services are pursuing union work by arresting university students for their student activity inside the university corridors, the last of whom was the student Baraa Ghazal from Hebron University, who was arrested on Sunday, April 17, 2022, On the background of his student work.Meanwhile, Lawyers for Justice continues to arrest school teacher Ahmed Abu Fara for the fifth consecutive day on a political charge, and the Hebron Magistrate’s Court has issued an extension against him for 7 days pending investigation, and Youssef Kamil from Jenin, whose detention has been ongoing since March 31, 2022, and he received two extensions, the last one was for 15 days on April 17, 2022, on a political charge.Violation of public freedoms is not the only title in the series of violations but rather exceeded them to violations of legal procedures, such as not presenting the legal arrest warrant during the arrest process, and attaching charges that were not related to the investigation’s progress, but rather in order to obtain an extension decision from the court judge.The Lawyers for Justice is following with concern these continuous violations of basic human freedoms, which coincide with allegations of torture and ill-treatment that political detainees say they were subjected to during their detention at the security apparatus in cell conditions unfit for human life.Lawyers for Justice calls for immediate and rapid action to put an end to these violations, and protect human rights defenders and activists and renews its call for the immediate release of political detainees and human rights defenders
Extending the detention of political critic Mohammed Amr for 24 hours
After the security forces fired live bullets and used weapons during his arrest, the Public Prosecution extended the detention of activist and political critic Mohammad Amr from Dura in Hebron for 24 hours, with allegations against him of “resisting security men.” At the same time, the security forces released his son, Shaddad Amr, without presenting him to the court. That is, in detention pending by the agency for more than 24 hours, in violation of the rules of a criminal trial, legal procedures, and fair trial guarantees. Lawyers for Justice renews its call for the immediate release of Mohammed Amr, ensuring his safety and health, and holding those responsible for using weapons and firing live bullets at his home to account.
Hebron University student Baraa Ghazal was arrested twice in 20 days
Within 20 days, the security forces arrested the student at Hebron University, Baraa Ghazal, twice, on the grounds of his student activity at the university, which is his right guaranteed constitutionally and academically. Going back, on March 24, 2022, from the Bab al-Zawiya area in the city of Hebron, the Preventive Security forces arrested Baraa Ghazal and two of his fellows without presenting any legal arrest warrant, and without any clear legal justification.Again, at dawn today, Sunday, April 17, 2022, the Intelligence forces re-arrested Baraa Ghazal from his home in the city of Hebron, with no legal justification being clear until now. The Lawyers for Justice group holds the General Intelligence forces responsible for the security and safety of student Baraa Ghazal, and the group holds the Preventive Security and Intelligence forces responsible for any disadvantage that will occur to the student’s academic career, which prevents repeated detention from proceeding normally. A Lawyers for Justice issued an urgent appeal to the Attorney General for the immediate release of student Ghazal, and the need to take a serious stand against the prosecution and arrest of university students against the background of their student activities, which is their right.
Lawyers for Justice weekly report – last week of January
On Sunday, January 23, 2022, the Magistrate Court in Nablus issued a decision to release Ahmed Yamin, Ahmed Dweikat, Ibrahim Shatara, and Muhammad Hussein on a cash bail of 200 and a personal guarantee of 3000 dinars. -On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Magistrate’s Court in Nablus issued a decision to release Musab Hanaisheh on bail of 2,000 Jordanian dinars. On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Magistrate’s Court in Nablus issued a decision to release Imad Khatatbeh on personal bail. On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Magistrate’s Court in Nablus issued a decision to release Ziad Al-Kilani, Raed Shawar, Osama Najm, and Ahmed Qutait on a personal bail of 5000 dinars. On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the Ramallah Magistrate’s Court issued a decision to release Zuhdi Dannoun on a personal bail of 2,000 Jordanian dinars. Lawyers for Justice group is pursuing the arrest of Muhammad Nihad Abu Al-Aish from Qalqilya, who was arrested after being summoned for an interview on January 16, 2022.
More than a year and a half ago.. the trial of journalist Anas Hawari continued to be postponed
The Magistrate Court in Tulkarm postponed the trial of journalist Anas Hawari, which is supposed to take place on Sunday, January 23, 2022, until March 23, 2022, due to the absence of the witness. Wherefore, the court decided to re-notify the witness who is a member of the intelligence service. In May 2020, the security services beat and arrested the journalist Hawari for nearly a week, after which his trial sessions began on six charges alleged by the prosecution: directing disparagement to employees, contempt of an employee on the head of his duty, Violently resisting an employee, slander the authority, violating the emergency law of 2020, and obstructing law enforcement agencies, maintaining public order, and competent crews during the declaration of a state of emergency. Lawyers for Justice group stresses that the charges against journalist Anas Hawari are nothing but a cover for attempts to restrict his journalistic work and restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression. The group also recalls the beatings and assaults that the journalist Hawari went through during his arrest. And the attempts of repression and restrictions that the journalist is witnessing. Moreover, the group denounces the continued adjournment of the court for more than a year and a half for the lack of witnesses and points out that the delay in the litigation procedures constitutes a violation of the guarantee of a fair trial.
Lawyers for Justice group condemns the continued harassment of journalists and the conviction of journalist Abdel Rahman Zaher
The Lawyers for Justice group followed up the sentencing session on the case of Palestinian journalist and filmmaker Abdel Rahman Zaher from Nablus, where they prosecuted him on three charges that affect the essence of his professional journalistic work and restricts freedom of opinion and expression. These charges include: “Dissemination of information that incites racial strife through the electronic network, and transmitting news by any of the different means of communication with the intent of causing panic and slander against the authority.” While the group was able to obtain an acquittal on two charges, which are: Publishing information inciting racial strife through the electronic network, and the transmission news by any means of communication with the intent of causing panic, it condemns what the court decided to convict journalist Abdul Rahman Zahir for defaming the authority, and sentenced him to 3 months in prison and a fine. The group also notes that the conviction decision reinforces the restriction of freedom of work for journalist Abdel Rahman Zahir, whose case was opened with his detention for 35 days at the Preventive Security Service in August 2020, during which he suffered from severe health conditions. A few days after his release, the occupation arrested him as part of his fight against the free Palestinian media and persecution of Palestinian journalists. Moreover, the Israeli occupation interrogated him on the same charges he faced during his political detention at the Preventive Security Service. Lawyers for Justice group condemns the court’s conviction decision, which restricts press freedoms and media work and freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed in the Palestinian Basic Law and international agreements signed by the State of Palestine. The group also requests local and international media and press organizations, and human rights and civil institutions to pay attention to the seriousness of what the Palestinian journalist faces, from both the prosecution of the security services and the Israeli occupation, which threatens the Palestinian journalistic reality and public freedoms.
They were forced to stand for three days in a “closet”: Lawyers for Justice documents violations against Birzeit University students during their detention
The Lawyers for Justice group monitored several serious human rights violations against students at Birzeit University; (YD) during 11 days of his detention, (A.S) 12 days, and (M.Q) 13 days. They were all arrested during the same period in December 2021 by the Intelligence Service in Ramallah. The detained students stated that they were locked up in a very narrow room (like a closet), in which there was no possibility of sitting, and they were chained for more than three days and nights, deprived of sleep and rest, and were forced to stand on their own feet throughout their confinement in this cramped room. Lawyers for Justice documented that the detained student A.S. was severely beaten in the first days of his detention. Furthermore, the intelligence service hanged the three students upside down while interrogating them on their student activities at Birzeit University and their interaction with student blocs. Moreover, their families were not allowed to visit. Accordingly, Lawyers for Justice condemns this blatant attack on students during their detention and the violation of human rights, and the encroachment on the freedom of their student activity. The group also calls for prosecuting those involved in the torture of students and to open an investigation into the detention conditions for political activists, students, and journalists. Lawyers for Justice group issued an urgent appeal to local and international human rights institutions to stand and pressure to stop political and student arrests and to guarantee freedom of opinion and expression, political action, and student activity, as guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and human rights agreements.
Lawyers for justice group documented a political detention in connection to the local elections
The Lawyers for justice group monitored human rights violations against the activist (M.S) from a village in Ramallah during his arrest due to his participation in the local elections that took place in December 2021. According to M.S, he was interrogated in Ramallah court for “possessing a weapon” during his 13 years detention. Most of the investigation dealt with the participation of one of his relatives in the winning list in the village and ” the role of the activist in forming and mobilizing the list”, in addition to the investigation about the activist’s participation in the “Great Down” youth campaign. The group documented that M.S was beaten on the head during his transfer from Ramallah prison to Jericho prison after seven days of his arrest. On the other hand, he went on a hunger strike for the first eight days in protest against his political arrest. In Jericho prison, he was interrogated almost daily, and the intelligence service prevented his family and the advocate of Lawyers for justice group from visiting him during his detention. Accordingly, the group condemns the beating of the activist”M.S” during his arrest which violates human rights and puts his health and safety at risk. The group also condemns the arrest of the activist due to his participation in the local elections, in contravention of presidential decree No 5 about the promotion of public liberties, especially the freedom of electoral participation without harassment or restrictions. Lawyers for justice group calls on local and international human rights institutions to pay attention to what political detainees are subjected to from torture and violations inside the prisons of the security services against the background of opinion, expression and political participation.
Lawyers for justice condemns the re-arrest of the activist Muhammad Hussein
The Lawyers for justice group condemns the re-arrest of the activist Muhammad Ammar Hussein by the intelligence services immediately after his release from Nablus prison. On January 3, 2022, the Nablus Magistrate court issued a verdict to release him on bail of 2000 Jordanian dinars, after 12 days of his political detention. The group reiterates its condemnation of the re-arrest of the activist and stresses that his re-arrest comes as a part of a series of serious violations by the security services against the Palestinian judiciary. Moreover, it trespasses the judicial decisions in violation of the Palestinian Basic Law and human rights conventions. The group also calls for the immediate release of the detainee Muhammad Ammar Hussein, and suit the violators.