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.
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.
Lawyers for Justice condemns the systematic incitement of the group
Lawyers for Justice condemns the systematic incitement of the group and it’s director (Adv. Mohannad Karajeh), the group considers this campaign to be led via a page on Telegram that calls it self “ Eagle of Palestine“ close to officers in Palestinian Security Services, is an integral part of the persistent approach to incitement and repression against human rights action, and the dissemination of false news aimed at activists and human rights defenders. The group notes that this page and other pages supported by individuals in the security services represent social media platforms to incite against activists and human rights defenders These incitement media campaigns are often followed by the arrest of incited persons, the latest of which was the activist Muzed Saqf Alhayt who was arrested by the Preventive Security Service on Thursday night, 23-5-2024, beaten and tortured. Therefor, The Group calls upon the official authorities responsible, including the judiciary, to intervene urgently in order to put an end to this page and those responsible for it, because of their abuse and incitement affecting the entire national and social fabric, in a time where m official institutions must be a shield protecting public rights and freedoms. Also, the group endures security services the responsibility for broadcasting the mentioned page on the Telegram platform and other pages where they note the participation of officers and members of the security services who participate in campaigns of hate speech and misinformation directed against human rights defenders, political activists and opinion activists. Till here Lawyers for Justice issued in 27-5-2024.
Lawyers for Justice are closely monitoring the escalating campaign of political arrests and the increasing repression carried out by the security agencies
Lawyers for Justice are closely monitoring the escalating campaign of political arrests and the increasing repression carried out by the security agencies since the beginning of the current month. The group has observed a rise in cases of arrests based on the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression. During this month, the group documented the arrests of three citizens by the Preventive Security Service due to their exercise of freedom of opinion and expression. Among them were the journalist Aqeel Awawdah, citizen Mohammed Hareebat, and Sheikh Mustafa Abu Ara, who were later released on bail. The Public Prosecution has charged the mentioned individuals with various accusations, including defamation against the authority, incitement to racial hatred, and slander against the President, relying on the Penal Code and the Cybercrime Law. Lawyers for Justice view these arrests as arbitrary and not grounded in the law, as they violate the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights conventions. The group calls for an immediate cessation of these arrests and urges authorities to refrain from pursuing citizens on such grounds. Additionally, the group demands the cancellation of the Cybercrime Law (Law No. 4 of 2018), which was enacted by the Executive Authority with the aim of silencing voices and limiting legitimate criticism on social media. It is worth noting that all cases brought under this law, related to freedom of opinion and expression, have resulted in judicial acquittals. The group believes that resorting to the deprivation of freedom and the detention of citizens based on their exercise of freedom of opinion and expression on social media falls under abuse of power and represents a deviation from the Palestinian Basic Law. This statement was issued by Lawyers for Justice on 27th July 2023.