info@president.ps
Brussels, 29 October 2025
Subject: Arrest of Advocate Mohannad Karajah, Director of “Lawyers for Justice,” and the Ongoing Campaign of Incitement, Threats, and Fabricated Accusations Online
Your Excellency,
I have the honor to write to you on behalf of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), which represents the bars and legal societies of 46 European countries, comprising more than one million European lawyers. The CCBE places great importance on respect for human rights and the rule of law, and closely follows the situation of lawyers at risk around the world.
The CCBE expresses its deep concern regarding the recent arrest of Advocate Mohannad Karajah, Director of “Lawyers for Justice,” by Palestinian security forces in Jericho Governorate upon his return from travel. This arrest occurred in the context of an unprecedented campaign of incitement, based on falsified and fabricated posts falsely attributed to him and to his organization, which are believed to be a reaction to his legal work and human-rights activities.
According to the information received, fabricated statements and posts were widely circulated on social media calling for the arrest and prosecution of Advocate Karajah, despite public clarifications confirming that these materials were falsified. Reports indicate that two independent verification entities concluded that the circulated posts attributed to “Lawyers for Justice” and its director were digitally manipulated as part of an organized disinformation campaign. This campaign appears to involve multiple social-media accounts, including Telegram channels and Facebook pages, some of which are believed to be linked to political, media, or security actors, and which fueled calls to close the organization’s offices, revoke lawyers’ licenses, and label the group as “supporters of terrorism.”
In this context, we have received information stating that Advocate Mohannad Karajah was arrested on 26 October and released after several hours of interrogation, but was informed the following day of a complaint filed against him before the Public Prosecution based on the same fabricated posts. These actions reportedly appear to be retaliatory measures linked to his ongoing human-rights work over more than fifteen years, amid an atmosphere of incitement that included death threats.
We further understand that these acts have extended to include members of his family: his brother, Hassan Yasser Karajah, was summoned for questioning at the Preventive Security headquarters on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, to appear at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, 23 October. He was briefly detained and—according to reports—subjected to pressure aimed at compelling Advocate Karajah to submit to arrest or interrogation orders despite his prior clarifications.
The CCBE is profoundly concerned that the pattern of harassment, defamation, and threats targeting “Lawyers for Justice” and Advocate Karajah appears designed to silence a legal-rights organization and intimidate its staff, thereby undermining the legal profession and the protection of fundamental rights.
The CCBE wishes to draw your attention to the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (attached), particularly Principles 16, 17, and 18, which ensure that lawyers are able to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference, as well as Principle 23 concerning freedom of expression and association. The CCBE also wishes to highlight the recent Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, and encourages its signature and ratification once open for accession.
In light of the above, the CCBE urges the competent authorities to guarantee the safety and freedom of Advocate Mohannad Karajah, and to ensure that “Lawyers for Justice” and all lawyers are able to carry out their duties without fear of retaliation, obstruction, intimidation, or harassment—particularly as the reported campaign is believed to rely on fabricated and misleading content designed to undermine their legitimate legal and human-rights work. The CCBE also recalls that all lawyers must be able to perform their professional duties without fear of reprisal or intimidation, in order to safeguard the independence and integrity of the justice system and the rule of law.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Thierry Wickers
President
Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE)
