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.
Postponement the murder trial of political – human rights activist Nizar Banat.
A court session was held yesterday, Monday 3rd of June 2024, at Ramallah’s Military Court in the Case of those accused of the murder of political and human rights activist Nizar Banat, during the session which was held in the presence of 14 accused members of Preventative Security services, the defense counsel requested to be given a while to bring witnesses who requested to be brought to the previous hearing. The said agent also requested to address the Aaliyah State Hospital in Hebron in order to bring him with a book showing whether electrical inconveniences had been performed to resuscitate the activist Banat when he was brought to the said hospital; The court rejected the defendant’s request to address the hospital. In response to his request for a witness, the trial was postponed until 1-7-2024. Till here, Issues in 4-6-2024 Lawyers for Justice
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.
Confirmation of a new warrant for Diala Ayesh upon the request of Military Occupation Prosecutor
On Thursday morning, 23-5-2024, the Military Court of Ofar Occupational Prison held a new session to confirm the administrative arrest warrant for the second time against lawyer and human rights defender Diala Ayesh. During the hearing, the military prosecutor requested the confirmation of a new order for the administrative detention of lawyer Ayesh for a period of 4 months without disclosing the reasons under a secret file, according to the military occupation prosecutor. This extension came after the lawyer Ayesh spent 4 months in administrative detention, following her arrest at a military checkpoint in the south of the occupied West Bank on 16 January 2024, and days after the military court rejected an appeal by her counsel to release her and prevent the extension. Administrative arrest warrants issued by the military courts of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian prisoners, which are based on the Mandatory Emergency Law, are considered to be a violation of fair trial guarantees, a derogation of the right to self-determination, all of which are guaranteed under human rights conventions and treaties. Till here Lawyers for Justice issued in 27-5-2024.
Nablus Magistrate’s Court has extended the arrest of the citizen Muzed Saqf Alhayt for 15 days upon the request of the Nablus Prosecutor’s Office
Thursday 23-5-2024, The Nablus Magistrate’s Court, extended the arrest of the citizen Muzed Saqf Alhayt for 15 days upon the request of the Nablus Prosecutor’s Office for the purpose of completing the investigation. On Wednesday 22-5-2024, the Nablus Preventive Security Service arrested the human rights activist Saqf Alhayt , after breaking into his house and attacked him with rifle butts on his head and body, and insulted him in front of his wife and children. His arrest came after a campaign of incitement and threats targeted by social media groups by Palestinian Security Agency, this was a part of a policy of targeting human rights defenders with the goal of intimidating them to prevent activists from expressing their opinions guaranteed by Palestinian Constitutional Law. This arrest isn’t the first one to Saqf Alhayt against the backdrop of his political views and expression of opinion, where he is currently is being tried before the Palestinian judiciary for contempt of power, against the backdrop of criticism of the Palestinian Authority, but is remarkable in this arrest; Severe beatings, which have become a threat to his life. During the interrogation on Thursday morning of 23-5-2024 in front of the Nablus Prosecutor’s Office, the activist further raised his continued beatings and torture by the Preventive Security Service. This was documented in the interrogation transcript. Nevertheless, the Prosecutor’s Office took no action to protect him from beatings and torture. Lawyers for Justice considers the conduct of the Public Prosecutor ‘ Represents a disregard for the safety and security of detainees held by security services against the background of their human rights activity and expression of opinion. The group cautions that such conduct gives legal cover to repression and torture, The group therefore calls on the Public Prosecutor Office to intervene in order to protect the detainee, and release him immediately and ensure that his arrest does not continue at his current detention center. This statement is considered an urgent appeal for immediate intervention Lawyers For Justice notes that since the beginning of May, dozens of citizens have been arrested in the largest toll of detainees against a political background and the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression since the beginning of Israel’s aggression against the Gaza Strip on October 7. This calls into question the seriousness of the new Palestinian Government’s announcement on improving the situation of public rights and freedoms. 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.
The second appeal session filed by “Lawyers for Justice” group against the decision issued by the Ministry of Economy, which imposed restrictions on its registration, is scheduled to take place.
The second session regarding the appeal filed by “Lawyers for Justice” group against the decision issued by the Ministry of Economy, which imposed restrictions on its registration, is scheduled to be held tomorrow, June 21, 2023, at the Administrative Court in Ramallah. This appeal is in response to the decision made by the Ministry of Economy in Ramallah on March 26, 2023, which restricted the group’s registration as a civil company based on instructions from the General Intelligence Agency, as communicated to the group. Furthermore, the first session of the aforementioned appeal was held on June 7 of the current month, during which the court adjourned for further examination of the evidence presented by the group. The group reaffirms its commitment, as stated in previous statements, to continue its work that began in 2011, defying all deliberate obstacles it faces, in order to persist in defending human rights. In the same context, the group has been monitoring since the beginning of June, 23 cases of arbitrary arrests, 15 of which are related to political and party plurality, 7 arrests related to student union activities, and one arrest related to freedom of opinion and expression. Therefore, “Lawyers for Justice” group calls upon all colleagues in legal institutions to stand with the group and support it in its legal battle until the unjust decision against it is overturned. … Lawyers for Justice June 20, 2023
The “Lawyers for Justice” group has documented twenty cases of arbitrary arrests since the beginning of June
The group “Lawyers for Justice” closely monitors the alarming escalation of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Palestinian security forces. This campaign has targeted university students, political activists, and human rights defenders. Since the beginning of June, the group has documented 20 cases of arbitrary arrests, conducted by the Preventive Security Service and the General Intelligence Service. The backgrounds and numbers of the detainees documented by the group are distributed as follows: thirteen arrests on the basis of political and party pluralism, six arrests related to university election results, including the arrest of a staff member at Birzeit University, and one arrest related to freedom of opinion and expression. The group has also noticed attempts by the security agencies to circumvent the law through attempts to legitimize detentions. Additionally, they have endangered the rights of detainees by fabricating new charges against them or re-detaining them under the pretext of review or appeal. In addition, the group has observed the presence of signs of torture on the bodies of many detainees, and/or their testimonies before the prosecution or the court indicating that they have been subjected to torture. Therefore, “Lawyers for Justice” group calls upon the Palestinian Authority to immediately and unconditionally release these detainees and ensure their legal rights. The group also urges fellow colleagues in local and international human rights organizations to intervene for the immediate release of all detainees. … Lawyers for Justice June 18, 2023