2017-02-26

West Bank & Gaza

Human Rights Defenders / West Bank / Gaza

MUSAWA – The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession and the Palestinian Human Rights Defenders’ Network (PHRDs), conducted a series of field visits to court houses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including regular and military justice facalities such as Gaza’s Court Complex (Magistrate and First Instance), magistrate courts and courts of first instance in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Yunis, Ramallah’s Military Court (2 visits), and Jenin’s Military Court. The visits were carried-out by a total number of 65 members of the PHRDs’ Network, including 29 female members.

The overall purpose of the visits was to implement the principle of rule of law, respect the rights and basic freedoms of citizens, and guarantee the litigants’ rights to a fair trial and to access justice. The visits came as part of the members’ communication with the country’s official institutions and Civil Society Organizations for the general purpose of enhancing joint cooperation in the field of legal and human rights work.

The coordinators of the project to empower Palestinian human rights defenders, supported by the EU, expressed in their turn the vision and goals on which the Network was founded. They also stressed the importance of community work in the protection of Palestinian human rights defenders in case one or more of their rights is violated during or due to their work, in addition to the vitality of strengthening their presence in the community.

They also pointed out the defender’s ambition to become pioneers in the field of defending defenders, demanding the endorsement of the Palestinian Human Rights defenders Declaration so that it becomes a binding document for all official as well as non-official organizations in Palestine.

The visits included walking tours in the departments of justice facilities: Notary, Execution Department, sections related to rights and penalties in Magistrate Courts and Courts of Appeal, Registrar, court rooms, judicial police, detention rooms, and the court’s trust fund.

In addition, MUSAWA and the PHRDS’ Network conducted field visits to correction and rehabilitation centers and military justice in the WB and Gaza Strip, including Al-Katiba prison in Gaza and Bethlehem’s prison. A total number of 23 members participated in the visits, including 10 women.

These visits come as part of a project to empower Palestinian human rights defenders, conducted by MUSAWA both in the West Bank and Gaza, and supported by the European Union.