Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the assassination of the political activist, dissident, and human rights defender Nizar Banat, who was violently arrested and beaten to death at dawn on 24 June 2021 by members of the Preventive Security Service, following a complaint filed by the Public Prosecutor accusing him of “defamation against the authority.”
This anniversary comes amid complex political and security conditions, as Israeli occupation crimes continue against our people, especially in the Gaza Strip, which is facing an ongoing campaign of genocide, alongside an unprecedented escalation and crackdown in the occupied West Bank.
Regarding the case of Nizar Banat’s assassination, the trial proceedings have remained stagnant since sessions began in September 2021, marked by unjustified delays and serious doubts about the seriousness of the process—particularly after the release of the defendants within a year of the crime, in clear violation of judicial norms and military court protocols for major crimes.
This anniversary also coincides with the continued policy of political repression by Palestinian security services. Since Nizar’s assassination, the group has documented hundreds of cases of arbitrary arrest, torture, and ill-treatment against activists and political dissidents. Additionally, 22 citizens and 6 security personnel have been killed since 7 October 2023, with no accountability for most of these crimes, except in cases where indictments were filed against political activists for the killing of security personnel.
On this occasion, Lawyers for Justice emphasizes the following:
- The urgent need for a fair and credible trial in Nizar Banat’s case, ensuring justice for him, his family, and the Palestinian community at large, in accordance with international standards and within a reasonable timeframe without further delay.
- The pursuit and accountability of those responsible for the deaths of the 22 citizens, and the prosecution of all involved without exception.
- The rejection of selective justice and the affirmation of the rule of law and the principle that no party should enjoy impunity, regardless of its position or function.
- An immediate end to all forms of political persecution and torture against activists and human rights defenders, and the guarantee of constitutionally enshrined freedoms.
May Nizar Banat and all who have paid with their lives for speaking the truth rest in peace, and may all prisoners of conscience be set free.
