2018-12-31

West Bank and Gaza Strip

West Bank / Gaza / position paper

To Strengthen Unity and Avoid Chaos: It is time to Stop All Forms of Assault on the Rights of Citizenship and Hold the Perpetrators Accountable

MUSAWA- the Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession reiterates its request for all policy maker in Palestine to comply with the constitutional rights and principles provided in the Declaration of Independence, the preamble, and second title of the Basic law, and the International Bill of Rights, which all provide that citizenship rights are guaranteed aside from discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, political views or disability, and that citizens are fully entitled to freedom of expression, political participation, including their right to form, establish and join political parties, to form and establish unions, guilds, associations, societies, clubs and popular institutions, to hold public office and positions in accordance with the principle of equality of opportunity, to conduct private meetings without the presence of police officers, and to conduct public meetings, gatherings and processions, within the limits of the law, and they have the freedom of belief, worship, residence, and movement, to uphold the principle of the rule of law and that all authorities, bodies, commissions, institutions, and individuals are subjected to the rule of law.

MUSAWA reiterates the need to stop all Forms of Assault against constitutional rights, especially the citizenship rights, on the ground that Homeland belongs to everyone- not just an individual, group, or party.  As the center reiterates its refusal to all forms of police repression, and the policies of alienation, singling out, acquisition and political arrest, it calls for stopping all practices and procedures that can affect the right of citizenship, impede enjoying it, or impede accounting the perpetrators of such practices. MUSAWA believes that the decision and policy makers’ adherence to respecting the citizens’ constitutional rights is an essential requirement to maintain the unity of the social fabric, provide the security of the nation and citizens, and avoid rampant insecurity and internal conflicts that can claim the unity, stability, and legal rights of our Palestinian nation. Thus, there is no room to resorting to arrest, detain, summon, or assault citizens for political reasons, as the freedom of the nation starts with the freedom of its citizens.     

Issued on 31/12/2018

MUSAWA